The mood at ALKEN was grim. After the truth-or-dare chaos, the crew was still buzzing, but Londo's last-minute message about a possible early departure had sucked the air out of the room.
Everyone was pissed. They had one day left to enjoy Tokyo, and now it might be gone.
Lana made her way up to Londo's hotel suite. She knocked, entered, and found him pouring another glass of wine, already looking tipsy.
"What's going on? Why the sudden evacuation order?"
Londo sank into the armchair and sighed.
"I've got a meeting with Leonardo in the morning. He's been drilling into my brain nonstop. Obsessed with us ever since GESTRONIO. Caitlyn too. If they figure it out, it's over."
Lana crossed her arms. "But they'll understand, right? It was a system error. A judgment mistake."
Londo shook his head. "Leonardo doesn't understand. He interrogates. He clings."
"Let them have their day," she said. "We'll stay alert. I'll come with you to the meeting if needed. No point waking them all up for maybe."
Londo paused, then nodded. "Fine. They can stay for now. I'll update them if things go south. Maybe I overreacted."
Lana gave a crooked smile. "Excellent, Colonel. I'll let them know."
Londo downed a full glass of wine in one gulp. He stood, walked toward her, and suddenly leaned in, trying to kiss her.
She stepped back instantly, eyes wide. "What the hell are you doing?"
He tripped and crashed into the chair behind him, laughing. "Relax... I was joking. Just... drunk."
She stayed cold. "Do you need anything else?"
"Maybe... shut the door... on your way... ou—"
He passed out mid-sentence.
Back at the crew's floor, everyone was heading to their rooms. Kimberly ended up in the same room as Steven. Taze shared with Anna. Kiara with Lana. Lasso, as always, was alone.
Lana's voice buzzed over comms. "We're not leaving early. Back to chill mode, team."
Everyone cheered softly like tired kids who got a bonus recess.
Caitlyn sat in her penthouse, legs up, purple silk pajamas hugging her toned figure. She scrolled past ad after ad showing that smug asshole – Yeh-Moon's brother, the masked fraud who ruined everything.
She muttered, "You'll get the acid too, sweetie. It's coming."
Her phone rang. Leonardo.
She picked up, cold.
"Cabinet meeting in the morning. I need you."
"Okay. Bye."
Click.
On the other end, Leonardo stared at the phone, stunned.
"Well damn. Somebody's in a mood."
In his room, Lasso sat on the edge of the bed, staring into the dark.
Suddenly, a flash.
A corpse.
His eyes widened, breath caught. "No... not again."
He grabbed his head, shaking. Then, through the panic, he imagined Lana's hug.
The warmth. The way she sank into him for half a second.
His breathing slowed. A small smile crept onto his face.
He curled into the bed and let the silence take over.
Anna and Taze were in the big shared bed. Taze snored like a rhino. Anna laid there with giant headphones, listening to soft lo-fi beats, wide awake.
She whispered, "These damn thoughts won't leave me alone. Am I really falling for... whatever he's becoming? He's colder. Distant. But something's still there. Tomorrow. I'm asking."
Suddenly, Taze shifted. His hand flopped onto her chest.
And squeezed.
Anna froze.
"Taze?"
No response.
She narrowed her eyes. "You better be asleep, you pig."
She carefully lifted his hand off her boob and rolled over. Tried to close her eyes.
Instantly, a terrifying vision hit her.
A screaming creature. Blood. Fire.
She screamed.
Taze shot up. "Anna? What the fuck?!"
She panted. "S-sorry. Just a nightmare. I'm okay."
He rubbed his head, still half-asleep. "You need a hug?"
"I... no... maybe. Whatever. Fine."
He wrapped her in a soft side-hug. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Steven's been off, right?" she said.
Taze nodded. "Yeah. He's not the same. My sarcastic, pervy best friend? Gone. Just some cold, weird shell. Something's up."
"Let's talk to him tomorrow," Anna said.
"Deal."
She kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks, Taze. You're a good friend."
He blushed. "You... uh... are you into him?"
She shoved him. "You too?! Shut up!"
"Sorry!"
Kiara stood in her underwear on the balcony, a glass of juice on the table, staring out at Tokyo's glowing skyline.
Lana walked in.
"You should sleep."
Kiara didn't turn. "Give me a sec. Please."
Lana approached slowly. "You've been quiet since the game. That's not like you."
"Just thinking. Like everyone else. We'll talk later. Sorry... Deputy."
Lana blinked. "Deputy?"
She stood still for a moment, closed the door to the balcony.
Kiara whispered, "Mom... Dad... you really missed out. But soon... you'll see."
She took a sip from the glass.
Steven sat on the balcony, popcorn in front of him, eyes blank. Kimberly woke up, half-asleep, and headed to the bathroom. She noticed him.
"Steven...? You good?"
He didn't answer at first.
Then, "Yeah. Can't sleep. You wanna sit with me?"
She hesitated, blushing softly. "Umm... okay. Just a sec."
She rushed off.
Steven muttered, "Why does she look at me like that? Anna... always watching. I need to stop thinking about that dumb human."
Kimberly came out, rubbing her eyes.
Steven stood. "Wanna go outside? Take a walk?"
She blinked. "Now? Uh... sure, I guess."
He stayed in just a tank top and boxers. She looked him up and down.
"Umm... maybe put on pants please..:)?"
Steven frowned. "These humans and their clothes."
At 3 AM, the two strolled the quiet streets of Tokyo. Kimberly in a pink oversized shirt and shorts. Steven looking... well, like Steven.
She glanced at him. "S-So... you wanted to talk?"
He noticed a man walking alone nearby. His eyes flickered green. Rage flared.
Kimberly gently tapped his shoulder. He blinked and turned back to her.
"I just wanted company. You're... the cutest of the bunch."
She laughed nervously. "That's... kind of sweet? I think?"
They kept walking.
She hesitated, then mumbled, "D-Do you maybe... wanna go out sometime? Like... for real?"
She paused for a second, and bam—Taze popped into her head. That soft smile of his, all sweet and warm. It hit her like, wait... why now? She shook it off fast.
Steven blinked. "Go out?"
"Y-Yeah... like, I dunno, a normal date or something."
"Sure. Why not."
She looked down, kinda flustered.
Steven just stared for a sec. "That hug... when you drove. It felt... different. I wanna feel that again. Cool?"
Her cheeks went nuclear. "Uhh... yeah... okay."
He pulled her in.
His eyes lit up neon green. Left arm? Not even a hand anymore. It twisted into some gooey, veiny horror thing and zipped behind her like it had a mission.
It whipped through the dark, snagged some poor dude walking across the street, and dragged him straight into the alley like a ragdoll.
No time to scream. Body slammed hard into the wall. Crack after crack. Then it stabbed clean through his chest, and his whole torso just... collapsed into sludge.
Bones, skin, everything melted into goop. Like the guy never existed.
Steven's arm snapped back to normal. Eyes chill again. Face? Totally blank.
Kimberly, still in the hug, totally clueless, smiled softly. "This feels... kinda nice."
Morning. Londo took the ship and flew solo to London. Fifty minutes of silence.
He landed, suited up, and stood before a tall metallic door.
Time to face Leonardo.
The door opened.
Fade to black.
To be continued