Truth, Perjury, and Sacrifice

Backed Against the Wall

"Are you sure this is what she wanted?" Hajime asked, slinking behind Nagito.

"Yes, why do you keep asking?" Nagito tapped on his cellphone, glancing up occasionally.

"Because I highly doubt she wanted everyone involved." Hajime said, displaying the group chat they had going in their text messages. "All she did was blink at you. Did you develop some secret language before we left the island?"

"Did you forget how close we actually are?" Nagito's gaze faded away. It was almost nostalgic thinking about the dumb fights and all-nighters. He smirked at the memory of Togami and him almost getting into a fight.

"Then why did you break up?" Hajime muttered.

Nagito snapped a photo of some figures in the distance and turned back to his boyfriend. "Because we're happier with other people." He slipped his hand into Hajime's and smiled. "Besides, Togami was a buzzkill. I couldn't be with someone with their childhood friend breathing down my neck."

"Fair enough. Anyway, who are we following?"

"You haven't been paying attention? Geez, Hajime." Nagito pulled up the photo he just took, pointing at a boy wearing a hat that covered his face and a blonde girl. "They look about high school age, right?"

"I don't know, maybe. Who are they?"

Nagito sighed, "Do I look like I know? I'm hoping Kyoko might be able to figure that out."

Hajime blinked, straightening his back from their crouched position. "Have you lost your mind? If Kyoko or the others figure out what we're doing, who knows what they'll decide to do." Nagito opened his mouth to speak, but Hajime pressed. "You can't send the pictures to Karen either. Unless she has alibi to back up that she took these photos-."

"No, I'm sending them to Komaru." Nagito pressed the send button in the group chat and to a separate message to Komaru. The group chat began to ping rapidly with messages as a bright flash of light came from behind the pair. "Shit!" Nagito launched forward, nearly running Hajime over as he held tightly onto his hand. "Run!" the boys took off sprinting back down the alleyway.

 

Komaru scrolled through the photos Nagito and the others were sending, only for the pictures to suddenly stop. Five minutes passed then ten, but no more messages came through. She looked around the area, noticing students, parents, and paranoid civilians walk past her. A short boy with purple hair stood at the crosswalk, wringing his bag strap between his hands. Komaru glanced back at the photos, confirming the familiar figure. He glanced back just as Komaru looked up from her phone. He grimaced, trotting ahead of the other pedestrians when it was safe to cross. "Hey, wait!" She launched from her seat on the concrete steps and chased after him. He was gone before she finished crossing the road. Komaru sighed and continued walking down the street.

"Dumb broad," a busty girl whispered, her hand still gripped around the boy's arm. "The fuck was that? You almost got caught!"

"Sorry...but they got it." He smirked, flashing his phone screen with a photo of Nagito and Hajime in the alleyway.

"Not bad, Kee-boy." She smiled, releasing the boy. "I gotta go. Can't have them seeing us together. Later, Ouma." She waved, stepping back into the daylight with caution.

"What do you mean you got caught?" Karen whispered over the phone.

"There was a camera flash. I don't know if they got a picture of us, but I'm sure they were keeping an eye out for us." Hajime explained, checking his phone for messages. Not everyone had made it back to the complex just yet.

"And you said you got pictures?"

"Yeah, Nagito sent them to Komaru."

Karen froze. "What? Why? Oh my fucking god, where is she?"

Hajime looked at an unconcerned Nagito, "Probably out searching for the kids." Hajime gawked at his boyfriend, yanking the phone away from his ear due to Karen's yelling. "Calm down, she knows not to let anyone else know!"

"That's not the issue, Komaeda! If Komaru gets hurt or finds herself in danger, guess who's fault it is? Mine!" She took a deep breath. "Has she gotten back to you?"

"Actually, that's why I called you. Peko, Mahiru, and Akane still aren't back."

Karen bit her lip, listening to the consequences of her decision continue to roll in like body carts from the Black Plague. "Okay, I'm going into town. Text the others and tell them to head back if they can, or stay where they are." She hung up with Hajime before he could get another word in. She speed-dialed Komaru, waiting for her to pick. The phone rung and rung. Just as Karen was about to hang up and rush out of the house, Komaru picked up. "Where are you?"

"Uh, in town. Near the abandoned shopping district."

"Get back to somewhere more populated and stay there. I'm coming to pick you up, no questions. Stay on the line." Karen grabbed a jacket and her keys. Byakuya and Kyoko were outside waiting. "Hey, sorry to be pushy, but can you move? I'm in a hurry. Komaru needs a ride from town." The pair didn't budge. "Guys? What's going on?"

"Hang up the phone." Byakuya ordered.

"Pardon?"

"Hang up the phone." Kyoko repeated.

<Karen? Karen! There's some strange men following me. When are you getting here?>

"Hang up the phone, Karen." Byakuya took a step towards her.

"What? No! Move out of the way! She's in danger!"

"Because you and Nagito put her there. Now, hang up the phone." Kyoko said. "It's between Komaru and Future Foundation's reputation. You've made this choice."

"Future Foundation can go to hell! Komaru's life is at stake!"

"We can save her, if you hang up the phone. We can't repair what's left of our reputations." Byakuya continued to approach Karen, speaking calmly.

<Karen! Karen! Where are you!?> Komaru's voice was muffled as she continued to scream until the call was disconnected.

"Why? Why would you do that?" Karen choked on her welling, salty tears.

"Because she's our lead to the Ultimate Hunt." Kyoko said. "And evidently, so are you."

"The what? Is that the anonymous group you were talking about?" Karen asked Byakuya.

"Don't answer that. No more questions until we get back to my office." Kyoko said, ushering Karen towards Byakuya's car.

"Kyoko, I don't know anything. Why are you treating me like a suspect?" Karen paused for moment to catch Kyoko's glare. "She can't be serious. Kuya, tell me this is some elaborate prank." Her fiancée didn't respond. Byakuya opened the driver's side door and climbed back into his vehicle. Kyoko continued to push Karen towards the car.

Kyoko held out her hand, "I'm confiscating your phone for the time being. Just until we've finished talking."