The High 5

Chapter 14: An Unusual Suspect

Hey peoples, I just wanted to mention here that the following chapter has content towards its end that some readers may not be able to read through -- it's a not too vivid and short scene of someone who has overdosed. You can skip or skim through if you think that particular section will make you uncomfortable. 

Enjoy the chapter.

After a few minutes of following the trio and the tall, bulky man, Cassandra had settled down in an empty computer lab. The Five had been following her at a discreet pace for a few minutes as well, but Sun was ready to make himself known now.

The door made faint creaking sounds as Sun twisted the handle. Cassandra sat at the second last row of computers, her hood off, and she flashed a small smile at the Five as they slowly approached her.

"Oh, hi you guys..." she said softly.

Sun stood two seats away from Cassandra. Against his wishes, his fists clenched, but he managed to keep them partially tucked away behind his legs. "Was it you?" he asked, but it sounded to him like a demand.

"Hm?"

"Did you...write that article?" Cassandra's expression was impassive, but it quickly molded into contrite. Sun had his answer. From behind him, the four regarded Cassandra with incredulity. Sun forced his fists to unclench, then walked up and sat in the seat right next to Cassandra. "Just...why?"

Cassandra hadn't heard him, a perturbed feeling overtaking her. "You guys don't do V-Dust, do you?"

Aivie snorted, "hell no."

"No way," Colette agreed.

Mace and Rion nodded their agreement. "That stuff can make you aggressive," Mace added.

"I think...I think it can do more than that," Cassandra whispered, but they could all clearly hear her.

"What? What do you mean?" Sun questioned.

"At the party..." Cassandra started.

"What party?" Colette asked.

"The first week of school...a-at Kite's house, I heard them. They said t-the experiment is almost complete. T-they said they almost have enough of the...serub? Zerup? No that's not it..."

The Five worriedly glanced at each other. They had never seen Cassandra so distraught before. Even when intoxicated, she always managed to keep some semblance of composure.

"S-serum! Serum! A serum made of V-Dust, and they're going to continue to watch the behavior of some of the ones who've been taking the drug, and..." Cassandra's gaze lingered forward, and she went pale as she saw the profound, sympathetic expressions of the Five.

"Who are they?" Rion suddenly asked. The four all glanced at him, not sure what to make of the question, and tie it in with Cassandra's story.

"Uhm, well...on the night of Kite's party, there was some kind of meeting upstairs. Kite, Bel and Hozei were there, along with some other people I never seen before. I was just outside the door of the room where it happened, no one saw me. I wasn't there long before I heard voices getting closer, so I hid in a closet. I saw Bel and Hozei, and some other people leave the room, but a few stayed behind -- one of them was Kite. Another one I think I recognized, he had red hair -- darker than mine. I asked around earlier at the party because I wanted to try V-Dust, and someone told me that he was dealing so I went looking for him, that's how I discovered where they were all meeting. Anyway, the rest who stayed in the room just closed the door. I thought that meeting thing was over, so I went over and opened it just a bit. That's when I heard them..."