Framed

Eight.

"Who the fuck is this LaF, anyways??" Dinah said loudly as she and Lauren ascended the stairs to the science lab area of the school. 

"They're the AP Biology teacher here, and apparently they have a little lab on the side. Bauman and Negovanlis told them our story and they've said that they're okay with helping us out."

"And you're placing your faith in a person you don't even know?"

"I'm not placing my faith in anything. I'm exploring a possible option. If they let us test any evidence there - that would be amazing. It would end things so much faster than we anticipated before. We would be on equal level with the cops when it came to detective chops."
"Haha that rhymed," Dinah pointed out. "You know. Cops. Chops. Hehe."

"Thanks for listening," Lauren rolled her eyes. "I wish Liam could have come with me but no. He got the stomach flu and I'm stuck with you instead."

Lauren stopped in front of one of the biology labs. Dinah, like an out of control car, skidded to a stop right next to her friend. Lauren looked at the number on the door, and the small sheet of paper that she had just removed from her pocket.

"Room 221B. This is the place."

"This whole floor seems full of sketchy ass shit."

"Dinah."

"Lauser."

"Did you forget that you come here every day for classes?"

"No - it just looks a lot different cause it's empty now."

"That's because it's lunchtime and everyone is outside, absorbing their daily dose of Vitamin D." Lauren subtly rolled her eyes. "But yesterday, Negovanlis told me that this LaF spends all their time in here, even during lunchtimes they don't go to the teacher's lounge unless it's to steal a box of pizza. So here we are now."

Lauren knocked on the door, two sharp raps. 

While waiting for the door to answer, she remembered what Negovanlis had said to her on the morning of the day before all this:

"You have to remember that this isn't solely about your self preservation, Lauren. It is about saving yourself, Camila, and as many people as you can in this process. If you think more people won't be dead by the time you solve this, you're fooling yourself."

"How would you know?"

"Serial killers get hooked on the attention sometimes. If this is any normal human being, which it most likely is unless we're in some Harry Potter fanfiction, then they're going to want the adrenaline that things like this bring them. It's a type of high people can't get enough of."

"I suppose."

"They'll be around, I think. People, killers or not, often like to see the finished product of their hard work."

"This is strange how you know all this."

"I used to try to be a little Sherlock with Professor Bauman when we were younger. Well actually, she was the detective, I was the broody accomplice who often served as bodyguard. Poor Elise can't fight well for the life of her."

Lauren chuckled. "I can see that."

"However, that isn't the point here. What I'm trying to say, Lauren, is that in cases like these, there is no room for selfishness. There is no room for vice. You need to protect others, not just yourself, because if you let them die? That will stay with you for the rest of your life."

Lauren gulped.

"I know the burden placed on your shoulders is a heavy one to live up to, but I believe in you. For now, just go to LaF. They've been bored lately and I think this case will add a bit of a spring to their step. They should be eager to help you."