Kaito felt a lot better when he and Shuichi exited the bathroom. Thankfully, no one was looking at Kaito like they had done after his outburst. They all decided that Shuichi could handle everyone and went back to their own business. Kiyo was gone, most likely escorted to the lab for his turn. Kaito will have to find him later to apologise for what happened. Both he and Shuichi went back to where Kaito was sitting. As Kaito sat down, Shuichi started to rummage through the board games. He probably thought that a game of something might help Kaito feel more relaxed. Now that Kaito thought about it, playing a game does sound good right about now.
“Everything okay?” Kaede asked as she sat down at the table.
“Yeah. Kaito just got a little freaked out.” Shuichi answered, placing a game down on the table.
“Don’t worry, Kaito. Kiyo doesn’t mean to do it, but he does scare people a little when it comes to his powers.” Kaede smiled sympathetically as she remembered the first time Kiyo spoke to her about a spirit wanting to talk to her. Kaito smiled back, albeit a little wobbly. He looked back down at the paper in front of him. He still needs to write this letter. Maybe he’ll just tell his grandparents that he’s okay and he’s made new friends. The last thing that he needs to do is to scare them with the experiment that he went through. He was about to make a start when someone suddenly looked their arms around his shoulders from behind, causing him to let out an involuntary yelp.
“Were you scared, Kaito?” Kokichi laughed, revelling in the result of his childish prank. Kaito ignored him, but it didn’t stop him from being nosy. “Hey! Hey! What you doing there Kaito?”
“Should you not be touching me?” Kaito said, trying to hold back a laugh as he remembered his first day in the Facility.
“I already touched someone else a minute ago. I won’t be able to have your powers for another hour or so.” Kokichi said, sounding disappointed. Kaito normally wouldn’t be convinced as the boy has lied so too many times for him to count. However, seeing as how Kokichi wasn’t flying uncontrollably right now, Kaito had to take his word for it. “So what are you doing? Come on! Tell me!”
“Not that it’s any of your business, I’m writing a letter.” Kaito sighed, giving up. He knows that if he doesn’t say anything, Kokichi will just keep digging until he gets what he wants.
“To who?” Shuichi asked as he was in the middle of setting up the game.
“My grandparents.” Kaito answered, not looking up at his new friends.
“You’re allowed to write letters to your family?” Shuichi asked again, his voice laced with confusion.
“Yeah. Just like everyone else.” Kaito shrugged absentmindedly, again not even noticing how confused his friend was.
“Kaito, we don’t get to write letters to our families.” Kaede suddenly said, her voice laced with sadness and confusion.
“What?” Kaito exclaimed, his head snapping up so fast that he’s surprised that it didn’t detach from his body. He finally saw the looks that his friends were now giving. Minus Kokichi, they looked confused and hesitant to answer his question. Shuichi and Kaede were glancing each other uncomfortably. This was the first red flag.
“I don’t know what White had promised you, but it was obviously a lie.” Kokichi suddenly interjected, smiling like he had won the lottery. Red flag number two.
“Kaito, no one here contacts the outside world. We’re not even allowed outside.” Shuchi added after an uncomfortable minute. “The last time I spoke to my uncle was as I was going to school one morning. Three years ago.” The third red flag was getting ready to be raised. No one contacts the outside world at all? No one goes outside? Kaito suddenly glanced around the Lounge Area. He noticed an insect magazine that Gonta was looking at, and saw that it looked really old, creases along the magazine. The book that Maki was reading too seemed old and read many time before as there were clear and evident creases along the spine. The cartoon that Miu was currently watching was a mech cartoon that Kaito had seen before. The problem was that it was when he was a little kid and the show had stopped years ago. They don’t even repeat it anymore. Come to think of it, cartoons and documentaries that aired years ago were the only things that played on the TV. No news broadcasts or new shows. It was like time had stopped down here.
Kaito suddenly recalled something. It was on his first day. When everyone was asking him random questions. He didn’t make them out or think about them much at the time, but looking back on it now, a few of the questions were suddenly made crystal clear to him.
“Are my family still looking for me?”
“Do people still miss me?”
“Has anyone looked into my disappearance?”
Red flag number three has now been put up, higher and brighter than the previous two.
Ignoring his friends trying to speak to him, Kaito got up and started going to the door. He needs answers. He needs to speak to White. He’s the only man that can give Kaito the answers that he needs right now. The problem was that there was a guard standing in the way.
“I need to see Dr. White.” Kaito stated as he approached the guard. He didn’t know what he was thinking, but he hoped that the guard would listen to him.
“He’s not available.” The guard said emotionlessly. Kaito didn’t know if he was lying or not but he needed to get his point across.
“I need to speak with him, it’s important.” He argued, his tone sounding more urgent.
“Sit down.” The guard ordered, slowly reaching for his baton. Kaito didn’t notice, he didn’t care to do so.
“I need to see Dr. White.” He repeated. He didn’t notice it at first, but his body was suddenly off the ground. When he did notice that he was suddenly taller than the guard, he fought hard to hide his surprise. He wanted to stand firm with his choice to see White, that was what was important to him at that moment. However, he suddenly felt a jolt of electricity run through him again. He couldn’t hold back a scream as he suddenly crashed to the floor. He barely heard someone shouting his name. He looked up at the guard, holding his stomach in pain.
“Listen here, you freak! You don’t order me around!” The guard shouted, foaming at the mouth. He raised the baton, looking like he was ready to strike Kaito. Not giving him another electric shock, but a proper and possibly damaging strike like the baton was an iron pipe. The teenager put an arm up to try to defend himself. However, the guard’s arm was shaking. The guard looked at it and visibly went pale. Kaito had not doubt that his eyes were bulging out of their sockets as the man tried to force his arm to move. He looked around the room, his landing on what-no, who-he was searching for. Kaito turned around. Everyone in the room looked as pale as the guard, even Kokichi. Maki had stood up from where she was sitting. She wasn’t speaking or doing anything but standing there, staring at the guard coldly. Kaito didn’t even need to ask what was happening. Maki was using her powers to protect him. But why?
“Y-you! Stop this! I order-” the guard stuttered, panic lacing his voice. Maki only stared harder. She suddenly jerked her head a little. There was a sickening sound of multiple bones snapping at once. Kaito whipped his head around to look at the guard. His arm was completely mangled. All the bones in his arm was broken, ensuring that the man might have permanent damage if he isn’t taken to a hospital or have Rantaro heal him soon. While Kaito had a small sense of victory, the guard suddenly pulled out a small red button and pressed it. A door that was unseen to everyone earlier suddenly burst open. Without word or warning two guards rushed at Maki. She didn’t fight back, probably didn’t have a chance to, as she was suddenly shocked. Her voice turned into a loud, high pitched scream until she passed out on the floor completely. Her scream was so loud and ear shattering that it seemed to rattle the entire room.
“What is going on here?!” Dr White’s voice suddenly rang out. He was standing at the main door, looking around at the damage that had been done. The guard’s mangled arm. Kaito being helped to his feet by Shuichi and Kaede, still holding his abdomen. Maki laying unconscious on the ground, looking so still that she might as well be dead.
“It was the telekinetic bitch! She attacked me unprovoked, sir!” The injured guard shouted before Kaito could put a word in, pointing an accusing finger at the unconscious girl.
“That’s not-” Kaito was ready to argue, pushing himself away from Shuichi and Kaede before they could stop him.
“Again? When will that girl-put her in Isolation.” White sighed heavily. With that, the guards standing by Maki picked her up, one holding her arms and the other holding her legs. They lifted her up so quickly and haphazardly, that she almost flew out of their grasp. They carried her so carelessly that they didn’t care if they dropped her or not. Kaito couldn’t put a word in as she was carried out efficiently. None of the other Limitless spoke up for her or tried to tell the truth. Were they that scared of White?
“Doc. I need to speak to you. It’s extremely important.” Kaito suddenly spoke up, not quite sure what he was doing at this point.
“Very well. Escort Momota to my office. I’ll be there momentarily.” White sighed heavily, looking like he was at his wits end. Kaito didn’t hesitate in leaving as he was escorted by two guards out of the Lounge Area. He barely heard White barking orders at everyone else that was left behind. The only thing that he was focused on was getting answers. That’s all that matters right now.
