Truth, Perjury, and Sacrifice

Strapped for Time

Karen was thankful that Kyoko surpassed the use of any direct force. Most likely because Kyoko knew they were still under the Ultimate Hunt's radar, so she wouldn't want to make Karen look suspicious. Not like Kyoko had to try to make that a reality, Karen did that just fine on her own. Byakuya drove in silence, occasionally glancing in the rear-view mirror to catch Karen's shifting expression. When they finally pulled up to Hope's Peak Academy, Karen's stomach lurched. "What are we doing here?"

"My office is here. I am the vice principal after all," Kyoko said, swinging her door open. She opened Karen's door, letting the women step out, yet stay within arm's reach. Karen's cell phone began to ring. Glancing at the screen, Kyoko saw that Nagito was calling. "Answer it. Don't mention what's happening." She accepted the call and held it up to Karen's ear.

"Hello?" Karen's mouth tightened.

"Hey, did you get the pictures? Komaru isn't answering me."

"Uh, Nagito, I don't know if this is the best time." Karen swallowed the lump in her throat.

"What? Why?" Nagito pulled his phone form his ear, checking the time. "If it's Byakuya, just go into another room." He listened to radio silence. "Karen, what's going on?"

"I can't tell you that. Are the others back yet?"

"Yes and no. Peko isn't back. I think she ran off to pursue one of the kids." Nagito put the call on speaker, "What do you mean you can't tell me?" He looked at Hajime's concerned face.

"Something came up. Listen to me, Ko, okay? Stay at the complex and make sure all of your stories are cohesive. Do not pursue the students any further. Keep an eye out for any suspicious activity outside of the vicinity. And this last one is crucial, so listen very closely."

Kyoko and Byakuya glanced at each other, narrowing their eyes on Karen. Karen raised her hand to the phone, waiting for Kyoko to either accept or deny her request to take it. Kyoko nodded, releasing the phone from her gloved fingers.

"Do not answer calls from any of us, Hiro, Hina, and Komaru included. Do not make phone calls to us. You will know when it's time to proceed. Stay vigilant, stay safe, and good luck." Karen hung up the phone. "Before we leave tonight, destroy this." She returned the phone to Kyoko.

"So, you're willing to cooperate?" Kyoko asked.

"Komaru is in danger and it's my fault. But I had no idea that they had recruited her assistance. Anyway, lead the way," Karen waved Kyoko on.

"You really did rebuild the Academy," Karen slowly spun around, taking in the familiar surroundings. "You could have taken more liberal measures in redesigning the place, though."

"Is this your first time seeing it since it's completion?" Kyoko asked.

Karen nodded, "I mean, I saw a portion of the lobby when you called the day before my arrival, but I wasn't really focused on that." They continued to walk, Kyoko leading them upstairs. "Is Makoto here?"

Kyoko nodded, "He needs to be informed about Komaru and the current situation."

"I should be the one to tell him." Karen stopped in front of the mahogany double doors. Kyoko nodded, opening the doors and letting Karen enter first.

"Hey!" Makoto greeted everyone's grim expressions with a smile, which faltered with worry. "What's wrong?'

"Makoto, I'm sorry." Karen leaned forward in a bow. "I...put everyone's safety in jeopardy. I enlisted the others to investigate separate from Kyoko, which led to your sister getting involved without my knowing. She's...been kidnapped." She straightened up. "I've put our reputations, Future Foundation's integrity, and Komaru's life in danger and I will do whatever it takes to make this right."

Makoto sat in silence, paused in the slow yet steady processing of what he was being told. "So, where is she?"

Karen took a moment to breath. "She was last seen in the town square. She was helping scout and profile potential members of the Ultimate Hunt, according to Nagito. I wasn't informed of her involvement and I should have been monitoring their moves far more closely." Byakuya cleared his throat behind her. "Well, I shouldn't have...created this mess in the first place. I shouldn't have made such a reckless decision. I shouldn't have acted at all. I should have listened to you."

"I'm not exactly mad. Toko on the other hand...might have a different opinion."

Karen grimaced, forcing a laugh. "I had...forgotten about that. Yes, Toko will most likely hate me more than she already does. She has every right to be."

"so, what's the first notion on the agenda?" Byakuya asked Kyoko.

"I'm going to compile these photos into the investigation file, then I'll be back to question both you and Karen."

"Why would you need to question Byakuya? He has had no involvement in this." Karen shot back.

"It's more for your alibi and story confirmation, rather than my assuming he has any valuable knowledge about the situation. At least, you haven't given me a reason to doubt your lack of involvement with your fiancées' lacking common sense and decision making." Kyoko said to Byakuya.

"Hey, I apologized, alright? No need to get testy and insult me." Karen pouted.

"Apologizing for the current situation we're in doesn't deter the immense disappointment I'm currently experiencing." Kyoko said. She excused herself from the room and left the other three alone.

Karen and Byakuya sat in the executive chairs that sat in front of Makoto's desk. "So, have you found anymore potential students?' Karen asked.

Makoto shook his head, "So, how did Komaru get involved?"

Karen shrugged, "I have no idea of when or why. How it was explained to me was that Nagito sent the pictures him and the others gathered to Komaru to send to me. I'm assuming it's because the public knows Komaru as the 'hero of Towa city' and the others had to stay hidden."

"But they didn't stay hidden." Byakuya added. "Kyoko and I received similar emails featuring photos of the Remnants hiding in the city. The anonymous group must have a large number of members walking around. Which raises the question of who are the members? They must have some semblance of intelligence or we would have figured out who they are by now."

"But why high school students?" Makoto asked.

"I didn't tell them who to focus on. I'm assuming they must have realized something that I have no knowledge of, or maybe they just focused on suspicious individuals? I'm not quite sure."

"Well, hopefully these will tell us that 'something' we don't know," Kyoko said, printed photos and file in hand.