Dinner's right around the corner, and I'm sitting in my room with Audrey and Laurel. Currently, as they're talking about other topics, I'm trying to up the article that was mentioned by Caroline. When nothing comes up after the first five times, I frown. Did she just say that just because? I think to myself. Because if so...

Audrey's voice snaps me back to reality. "So..." she begins, eyeing me innocently. "You going to tell us what happened while you were with Wallace? And Fitz..?" she adds, raising her eyebrows at me in a sly manner.

I roll my eyes at her informality and say, "Nothing much. We just met up with a forensic chemist and pathologist. One studies chemicals, and the other studies dead bodies and how that person died," I add when I see their confused expressions.

Laurel dismisses the scientific explanation. "So-" she starts, giving me another one of her suspicious grins. "Are you sure that nothing happened? Nothing interesting? You know, with Fitz, maybe?" I immediately fight to keep down the blush that's rising on my face, pressing my lips together.

I realize where Laurel's trying to steer this conversation. "Well, the forensic chemist, Caroline, said that there's an article explaining why there was cyanide in her body," I say, smirking when Laurel's face drops in disappointment. "I'm trying to search that up right now, that's all." There was no way I'd tell them what really happened.

"Aww- I thought that something-" Laurel tries to say something else, but her voice is muffled when Audrey slaps her hand over Laurel's mouth. Audrey then yelps when Laurel licks her hand, freeing herself.

I smile victoriously as I glance down at my laptop. I press my lips together and type in the words "Cyanide- Michelle Barrera". Luckily this time, on the first page, multiple sources show up. A smile on my face, I click the first link, waiting as the new page loads.

Before I read the page, I look up to see a blushing Laurel turn away from a smirking Audrey. Laughing a bit, I ask, "What happened this time?" Smirking more, I ask, "Did I miss anything while I was gone?"

Audrey straightens up immediately, which I laugh to. When I notice the slight pink tint on her face, I turn to face Laurel, smiling when she begins grinning nefariously. "So I'm guessing something happened..?" I ask, my smile growing.

Audrey shakes her head while Laurel nods. She laughs when Audrey glares at her. Giggling, she says, "Well, we four were in the conference room, and decided to use your computer." Laurel smiles at me. "Don't worry- we didn't break in or anything. Mr. Wallace opened it for us. Your room, somehow, became ever cleaner!"

I laugh at this. "Thank you," I reply.

Laurel's smile only grows. "Wait until you hear this," she says, giggling as she jumps up from the bed to dodge Audrey's tackle. I shake my head as the two of them continue to ruin my bed. "So-" Laurel says, walking to me. "We came back with your laptop, and-"

"Nothing HAPPENED!" Audrey shouts as she jumps up, her face wearing a more visible shade of pink. She glares at Laurel, her expression alone ready to pummel her.

As I laugh, I hear a deeper voice chuckle as well. The three of us look to see Fitz leaning against the connecting doorway, his arms crossed as he laughs at our antics. I can't help but smile at his melodious laugh. "So I'm guessing that you didn't get to hear what happened?" he asks.

I nod. "Did you?"

Fitz shakes his head, laughing more. "Why don't you come over here and see for yourself?" he offers.

Placing the laptop on my desk, I stand up and walk over to where Fitz stands. When he steps inside his room so I can see, he only smiles when my eyes widen.

Fitz's bed is trashed, and shouting can be heard from the miniature-kitchen area of his room. When I look over that way, I find Benen screaming as he dodges a large book thrown at him. At this, Fitz yells, "Donovan- don't throw the books!" When Donovan finally stops, he adds, "You already trashed my room- please watch the books."

Donovan sighs, but meticulously puts the book on the counter. When he glances up again, I notice the faint pink blush on his face. I fight the urge to smile with my realization.

I don't notice leaning towards me until he whispers in my ear, "I'm also guessing that they asked about what really happened?"

Fighting the soft blush creeping on my face, I reply, "Yeah. And you've realized that something else happened with the Sovereigns?" I can't help but smirk at Audrey and Donovan's reactions as they chase the Altruistics in our rooms.

He nods in agreement. Flashing a handsome smile at me, he asks, "I'm going to assume that you've also found the article with Michelle Barrera?"

"Yeah, but those two distracted me before I could read it," I explain, pointing accusingly at Laurel and Audrey. Laurel smiles and waves at the two of us in a suspicious way as Audrey lunges for her. She screams and jumps on my bed, causing me to groan in annoyance. "Laurel!" I exclaim, drawing the word out as Audrey leaps up as well, messing my covers as well.

Fitz shakes his head in disapproval, even though a smile is clearly visible on his face. Grinning at me, he says, "To be honest, I'd rather watch the ending of this than go down to the conference room for research and dinner."

I chuckle at his remark, shaking my head at his immature words. "Yeah, well, I'd rather be safe downstairs than be endangered while I'm up here. Besides-" I quickly swoop into the pandemonium in my room to snatch my laptop. Returning to Fitz again, I continue, "We still have to read the article..." I emphasize dramatically, also grabbing Michelle's folder in the process.

The male Percipient just chuckles at my own antics as he grabs his laptop and David's folder. "And while you look at that article-" Fitz replies, stretching the sound of the word 'article' like I did. "I can find some more information on the relationship between Michelle and David. I think that'll help- maybe shine some light onto some possible suspects..?"

We make our way to my bedroom's door, now ignoring the screams of the Altruistics and the furious outcries of the Sovereigns. Once we exit into the hallway, Fitz leans closer to my ear. "I can tell that the use of 'victims' bothers you as much as Laurel and Benen, but you don't show it." When I turn to him in surprise, he adds a bit louder, "Is it because of the post-mortem photos?"

"And how would you know that?" I ask unconvincingly. I shudder at the mentioning of those scarring pictures. Apparently, that's all that Fitz needed to see, as he straightens up when we near the elevator. I can't help but look through Michelle's file so I won't have to bear with the abrupt silence as we head down to eat our last meal of the day.

...

We exit the elevator and step into the hallway of Level 8. I glance over at the second elevator. When I see the digital icon change from a 2 to a 1, I realize that only now are the four other teenagers heading down peacefully for their dinner. Or they might be arguing even now, I think to myself, cringing at the chaos that ensued after the mere mention of an event.

My mind drifts back to the article regarding the cyanide found in Michelle. Apparently, it was found in only one part of her- the brain. The weird thing is, the article implies that she survived after the cyanide. So what treatment did she get?

Before we did more reading on that article, Fitz, being intelligent and helpful as usual, did some deep searching into Michelle;s symptoms for the cyanide, finally falling onto the original documents of Michelle's visit during that time. In this case, Michelle had come to the hospital from an unknown sickness. She was getting headaches and became lightheaded every few seconds. She then lost consciousness for almost a day. Michelle woke up coincidentally before they labeled it as a coma.

Then Michelle had to go through an MRI scan, which showed that the cyanide is still in her brain. But the thing is, neither article showed that she had long-term problems in her nervous system afterwards. Fitz and I attempted to find any sign of abnormal problems of her brain that was recorded, but to no avail.

Now we're going to go to bed with new information. Tomorrow, Fitz said that he'll look into the relationship of Michelle and David. We didn't get to that today since we were sidetracked by the cyanide article.

After I change into my pajamas, I realize that instead of calling Michelle and David our 'victims', I called them by their names. My mind replays Fitz's realization as I climb into my bed, causing me to blankly stare at the ceiling in deep thought.

I can tell that the use of 'victims' bothers you as much as Laurel and Benen...

And how would you know that?

I cringe at my petty response to his statement. I then close my eyes, creating a more truthful and actual answer. They do for some reason. Maybe because they died such horrible deaths that the word 'victims' is just an understatement.

"That...makes sense, to be honest. That is just an understatement."

I shriek as I leap out of bed. My heart in my throat, I find myself staring at Fitz and his bright blue-green eyes as he walks towards me. Replaying his reply, I soon realize that I was talking out loud instead of thinking. I shake my head, sighing loudly. "But I don't know them. For all I know, they could've done something horrible..!"

Fitz stops where he is, only a few steps away from where I stand. "Even if they did something horrible, they died in the end. Depending on what they did, it would either be justice or another crime altogether." He shrugs his shoulders. "That's why we need to find what they did, and why they did that."

I frown at this. "Why is that so important, Fitz?" I ask, tilting my head to the side in confusion.

His lips tug into a scowl. "Because, Sophie," he begins, stepping closer. "Some people are guilty unless proven otherwise." He doesn't wait for my response. "Goodnight, Sophie. See you tomorrow."

As I stare at his disappearing back, I can only think to myself, Who are these 'people'?

Am I one of those people?

Have I proven myself otherwise, Fitz Vacker?

And then I can't help but wonder if I didn't yet. There's always that possibility.