Yogtowers Went Quiet

by Fancy Letters

For WTheives to moderate (This is still a WIP)

"Hello and welcome back to the Yogscast, Simon today we are going back to Garry's Mod are you excited?"

"Yes I am indeed Lewis."

"Well good because today we are doing something a little different."

"Wait. Dif-different you didn't tell me-"

"The Oculus Project was kind enough to send us these brand new, and Experimental might I add, Oculus v0's. The whole team are trying these out we are going to have on massive game and hopfully- I mean apparently these are so amazing you feel like you're actually in the game. Okay ready Simon?"

"Uh ready Lewis!"

"Okay then let's go…. That's odd an Update from the Oculus okay well this might take some time we could just cut this…"

*Click*

Line break:

Yogtowers was quite. Usually the halls were filled with the sounds of laughing, people playing World of Warcraft or Minecraft with each other, true friendship like. Now only the gentle hums of monitors and computers reverberated around the building. The strange things about these computers though was they all had the same thing displayed. A message.

"Welcome players to Trouble in Terrorist Town. The game is about a group of "terrorists" who have traitors among them, out to kill everyone who's not a traitor.

A small number of players is selected as Traitors, who have to kill all the Innocent players. Those innocents know they are in the majority, but they do not know who is Traitor and who is not.

The Traitors must use the element of surprise and their special equipment, if they are to succeed. The Innocent just have to survive, which means finding out who the Traitors are and killing them before they all die first. Of course everyone is holding a big gun, and everyone looks suspicious...

For the Innocent, knowledge is power: who is acting strangely? Who can be linked to evidence found on corpses? Who is still alive, even?"

Line Break:

Lewis rose from the grey flags of the broken brick building to a sitting position. His head throbbed for some reason but that wasn't what he was worried about. He was alone. He looked around the empty room with four walls, unreadable graffiti on a door on the far side and a broken window behind him. He looked outside to find a barren wasteland of half-collapsed buildings and open fires on the grey street. It was all grey, grey and oddly familiar.

How did he get here? He wondered. Before he blacked out he was about to start playing GMod with Simon and the others, then there was an update notification for something, he couldn't remember and when it finished he woke up here. He shocked his head clear of most of the headache and decided he needed to look around.

He finally stood up and realised what he was wearing. Khaki trousers and a combat vest covered in folds and pockets, defiantly not what he was wearing before. He tried one on the off chance it would open but there was no way to open them no matter the force he applied to the button it wouldn't pop. He moved on to the door, which luckily opened to his touch. Convenient. The corridor he walked into was simple. The stairs cut into the floor both up and down with no regard to health and safety. Slowly he decided to go down first.

"Hello?" he called as he descended onto the next floor which was identical to the first. "Anyone else here?" a door sat in the same place as the room above. He opened it carefully. It was an identical room, except for an object lying on the ground just by the window. Lewis inspected it closer, his eyes widened when he noticed just what it was. A sliver, chrome lined pistol, a Deagle. Lewis looked around, confused about what this gun was doing here, and why it was so compelling to pick it up. He leant down, and just as his hand touched the cold metal handle he heard a voice from behind him.

"Lewis?" He turned and sighed in relief as Hannah stood in the doorway, her blond hair tied back and her outfit the same as his. He ran into her open arms and hugged her. His heart fluttered in relief that he was no longer alone, and that Hannah was safe, at least as safe as being in a strange town could be. They broke apart, her eyes thankful but worried. "I heard your voice when I woke up on the roof. Where are we?"

"I don't know." He said, taking her hand and leading her out of the room. "Something doesn't feel right."

"Agreed. We should see if there are others around." She headed down another flight of stairs, thankfully this one had an opening outside. Lewis follow, tucking the Deagle into his back pocket, where a clicking noise sounded. She didn't seem to hear it though.

The sky was dark. The street lights that did work light up black tarmac and baron roads. The building they had exited was one of many buildings that clung to the side of the streets on one side. "Let's head down the road." Hannah agreed, sticking to the light the safest option. They followed it a few yards till they reached a corner, where the road jerked at a sharp 90°, then carried on down an identical road to the one they had walked down. Everything was the same, the same colour the same size, shape, texture. Texture…

"Lewis." Hannah shook his arm to get his attention, pointed to the side of the new road. A small group huddled together under a street lamp. The group noticed them and they waved, as familiar voices called to them.

"Lewis! Hannah!" the familiar jolly tone of Duncan Jones joined with the chorus of Strippin, Rythian, Kim, even Will Strife was there, all in the military outfit. Lewis and Hannah ran to them, hugging each in turn. They finished and the smiles dropped and concern rose. "What are we doing here, what is this place?"

"I'm not sure. But I've noticed a few things that are adding up." Lewis told the group. "From what I have seen, the only people who seem to be here are Yogscast members. If that's true, we are still missing a lot of people. I think we need to go find them, and them we all figure out what we need to do." He stopped, looking at each member of the group, guilt of who he had completely forgotten to worry about. "Has anyone seen Simon?"

"We'll find him Lewis." Hannah smile, and Lewis appreciated her attempts to comfort,

"We should stick together and go search." Strippin step forward, in his hands a black shotgun pointed to the ground that hadn't been there a moment before. Kim and Duncan shuffled awkwardly at the sight of the firearm, but Lewis understood they all knew it was necessary to arm oneself in times of danger. "I found this a little while ago. It packing some real shit, so I'll take point, just in case." Usual Strippin, the strong man of the group, natural protector.

He eyed up the shotgun tentatively. "Agreed." Lewis said, letting Strippin take them further down the street they were on. Rythain explained to him that he was one of the first to wake up, noticing the others and waking them. "It's weird you know." The Swede scratched his chin. "Something about this seems oddly familiar. Like we… have been here before."

"I know the feeling." They continued down the street until they stopped at a road block. Strippin carried on walking, which was his mistake as he tried to walk between the barriers only to be met by and invisible one and he stumbled back holding his nose that hit the wall.

"What that fuck?" he placed a hand on the solid force field as others joined him, marvelling in wonder. "But there isn't anything here."

"Guys." Lewis hushed in sudden realisation. It made sense. He wasn't sure how it happened, but it was happening. "I think I know where we are."

"Well done Lewis!" a voice boomed around them, rural American in accent and all too recognisable.

"Ridge?"

In front of them the tall, red haired figure of Steven "Ridgedog" Goates smiled at them, his usual headset around his neck, and his hands in his pockets. "You know I thought it would take a little longer for you to get it but then again, I wasn't even sure until a little while ago."

"What are you talking about Ridge?" Will stepped out from the crowd. "What going on?"

"First let's get the whole crew together." He pulled his hand out of his khaki's pocket and clicked his fingers. Behind him 20 people emerged from nothing. All of them Lewis had expected, Turps, Sjin, Sips, Matthew and Phil (FyreUK), Keith (BeBopVox), John (Panda), Nilesy, Martyn, Chris and Alex and Ross from HatFilms, Zoey, Dave Chaos, Ted (Pyrion), Parv, Zylus, Brent and Eric. The whole crew. Even Simon, who waved at the thankful Lewis, but was focused on helping others up the come over. Lewis was just glad he was safe, at least for now.

"That's better." Ridge said loudly over the serious of curses and groans from the people who had only just woken up. Most of them looked around confused and panic-stricken. "Calm your tits guys, nothing bad is gunna happen. Not yet anyway."

"Was it you Ridge? Did you bring us here?"

"Come on Lewis you should know by now. Although I have all the qualities and qualifications to be an evil genius, I didn't cause this." He laughed slightly. "I've always been an admin. Like right now."

"An Admin?" Chris Trott spoke as he gave Ross a boost to his feet. "We aren't in some game."

"Oh that's where your wrong, Trottimus." Ridge checked a watch on his wrist. "Lewis figured that out."

Lewis shook in his boots.

Ridge held up his hands. "Welcome to G-Mod Trouble in Terrorist Town."

Silence spread across the group, the ridiculous words that spilled out of Ridge's mouth stunning them. It sounded stupid to everyone else, but Lewis had already figured it out. But that still didn't answer just how they got here.

Turps broke the silence with his laugh. "Ha. Alright good one buddy you really fucked me over one there. Come on seriously what's happening?"

"It makes sense guys." Lewis said in a low, shaky voice.

"Lewis?" Hannah shook his arm to try and phase him out of his distant look.

"Think about it. Look at what we are wearing, it's the character uniform from the game, and this place, it's a map from it as well. The guns too."

"Righto Xephos." Ridge clapped slowly. "Sorry, Admins are always sarcastic."

"So, we are in a real life game of TTT?" Dave asked.

"Yes. But this is a little more real than you think."

"What do you mean?" Rythian questioned further.

"Well, normal game of TTT, Innocents or traitors win and the game resets. This time, no reset. No respawn. No second chances. I know, I'm the admin I have the rules."

"What does that mean?" Pyrion queried.

"It means, you die in this game, you die." He paced backwards and forwards, checking his watch a few times. People turned and looked at each other in disbelief. Hannah squeezed Lewis's hand gently.

"Look, I don't like this anymore then you do. But I'm an admin, and apparently that means I have no emotion. Cursed stereotypes. Anyway, you guys know the rules. Innocents are the majority, and must find the traitors in their midst with the help of the detective. The traitors, well, if you think you won't kill anyone, think again. This game will control all of us, until the very last man." His voice had gradually gotten louder, more authoritative. "Or woman, sorry."

"So we have to, kill the traitors, even if they are our friends?" Brent said as he looked over at Eric worriedly.

Ridge sighed. "Unfortunately, yes."

Everyone stood in silence again, some slumped to the floor while other sought others for comfort. Simon wondered over, his expression blank. "Lewis?"

"I know buddy don't worry, I'll sort this out."

"Excellent Xephos!" Ridge cried, jumping towards him and shaking his hand. "You have just volunteered as detective. The traitors have also been selected now. They know who they are."

"Wait what? Just like that some of us are going to try and kill the rest?" Zylush spoke out. "No, I highly doubt that."

"Sit around and think that if you want," Ridge put his hands back into his pockets. "Or, you Man up, gear up, run in and go tits up! Regardless. Most of you will die. Been a pleasure gentleman." And with that he disappeared without so much as a puff of smoke or a pop, just gone.

"Oh and Ladies." He ended in his booming voice again.

Lewis felt the breath leave him slightly. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he suddenly felt, alone. Hannah was still gripping his hand tightly, but why was he feeling cold? He didn't let go, he trusted her more than anyone here. Simon was close to, but he was laughing. Lewis would have felt comforted by this but…

"Sorry man…" Simon rubbed his eye of tears. "It just… your hat."

"Hat?" Lewis reached his hand up and pulled from his head a double ended tweed hat. He couldn't help but laugh as well. Then placed it back on his head. "Right… Looks like I'm in charge." As soon as he said this he felt more empowered, like maybe he could find a way to change things back to the way it was…

That was until he felt the cold barrel of the shotgun against his back.

"Sorry Lewis." Said the low handsome voice of Strippin. "But looks like I got the red job."

This was it. Already the end for him. Would he really die? Die in this horrible place? He had so much left… So much to do… So much to say. The end. So quick. It was almost a release really. He would be the first to escape from this. He wouldn't have to kill, or run, or abandon or betray.

Then he heard a click, and just has he breathed his last breath in, he breathed it out again. He turned, noticing Strippin's confusion at his weapon failing. Lewis backed away, the rest of them following. Clearly the other traitors where smart enough not to give themselves away straight away.

"Oh fuck." He cursed. "I got no bullets."

Lewis and the others took this opportunity to skater. Lewis grabbed onto Hannah and Simon and followed by Sjin they fled back down the road they came. He briefly noticed Hat Films sneak off into a side passage, their faces not giving any sign of deceit. What was he doing? Did he not trust his friend anymore?

"Where too?" Simon yelled his voice panicked.

"Back to that building!" Lewis pointed to the building he started in. Just as he said he heard a loud crack from behind. Gunshots.

"I think he found ammo!" Sjin yelled.

"Then we have to hide" Lewis veered left. The building would be too obvious, he'd see them enter. They ran down a side road, the windows facing each other on either side. Poor realism, Lewis thought.

Lewis slowed to a walk, searching for a door to hide in but found nothing. A dumpster stood against a wall, the width long enough for them to hide behind. He pulled them down behind him, peering around the side to get a good view of down the alley. He felt his gun… He couldn't describe it. He felt it there, and he knew he could just reach out and take it if he needed it. Useful. And Terrifying.

"This is fucking nuts." Hannah said under her breath, gripping Lewis' are hard. He didn't say anything. He watched the entrance of the side passage, only to see a hand reach around the pixelated brick work. Lewis felt his heart race, his mind reaching for the invisible gun he knew he could pull out and fire at anyone turning the corner. Was he ready for that though? Ready to just kill his friend, anyone of them?

The hand pulled a body round the corner, and Lewis sighed as Turps dragged himself round the corner panting from exhaustion. He hadn't seen him follow them away from Strippin. "Oh god, oh that was hard work I should really get fitter."

"Turps!" Lewis heard Sjin shout from behind the dumpster but Lewis held his hand up for silence. He couldn't trust him, he couldn't trust anyone. He was getting frustrated from the confusion in his mind. Turps didn't hear, and quickly got up to peek down the street he turned from, then start to move in the other direction. Lewis let out his breath, and as he did another gunshot ran in their ears close by, and a body dropped by the entrance of the side passage.

Hannah buried her face in her hands as to not let out a cry of shock. Lewis and the boys were quiet as they heard nothing after the gunshot. Lewis gulped down the lump in his throat, and started to walk towards the body.

"Lewis what are you doing!" Hannah said grabbing him and stopping him from walking. He turned to her, his face pale.

"We have to check the body." Lewis said simply. "We have to prepare."

"Lewis is right." Simon said, his voice lost of the laughter he had only a few moments ago it felt. Lewis nodded and Hanna reluctantly let go of him and he continued towards the body. His hands shook, his legs felt like they would give way but he kept going. Something kept him going and he wasn't sure what it was yet but he was glad it was there. He needed to be brave.

He backed against the wall and peered around the corner where the body was shot from. The street was empty, its street lamps revealing nothing to him and the darkness showing no signs of movement. He breathed in and grabbed the dead arm and pulled the heavy limb thing into the safety of the sidewalk before collapsing the ground to give his heart the chance to stop thudding against his chest.

The others joined him slowing, staring down at the limp body of their former friend. Turps' eyes were open, his face showing no emotion and a single bullet hole in his neck. No blood flowed from the wound, just the initial textured splattered against his chest and chin.

No one spoke for a second. Lewis couldn't get his heart to stop beating so he gave up, standing up next to the rest of them. "We need to check him. See if he's… He's one of us." He said plainly. He looked down to the other side of the alleyway. They were still alone but for how long?

"I'll do it." Hannah said apprehensively. She crouched low over the body, her hands hovering over it wondering what to do. She then reached down as if hoping something would happen, then jumped back slightly as something did. Above Turps an image seemed to draw itself in mid-air.

A giant red T.

"Oh thank god…" Lewis turned to see Sjin slid down a wall his face relieved.

"Thank god?" Lewis turned to him. "Our friend is dead! Traitor or not he was our Friend Paul!"

"But- You're right. You're right sorry." Sjin said lowering his gaze. Lewis understood what he meant, this game almost forced you to hope every death was a traitor, friend or no. Sjin picked himself up. "What now?"

Lewis thought for a second, wondering. If this really was TTT, then as Detective he could have all kinds of gadgets readily available. He reached into the place his gun was, and sure enough he could feel access to a library of gadgets somehow. He knew which one he needed, and grabbed it, and he felt one of his pockets on his jacket get heavy, and he reached up to open the pocket, pulling out the device he wanted.

Simon look in amazement at the device in his hand. "Lewis how- what is that?"

"It's the visualizer." Lewis said walking over to the place the body had been. He pressed a witch on the visualizer and waited. After a second a blue sphere surrounded him where he was stood, and suddenly Turps was standing again, his body fuzzy like an old recording. He watched as he walked out of sight of the sidewalk, and then fly backwards as a bullet hit him in the neck.

"Woh." Simon exclaimed.

"Yeah woh." Lewis said observing a red line which showed the bullet trajectory. "It came from that building across."

"If someone shot him from there…" Hannah spoke to them. "That means they have a gun… which might be pointed at us right now."

All of them froze where they stood. Lewis's head cocked in the direction of the building, its windows blank but he wouldn't tell anyway from where he was stood. He was already too far out in the street, if the sniper were to be aiming at him now, waiting for him to move he would have plenty of time to pull the trigger and kill him. How could he think like this? The 'Sniper' was another of his friend right?

"Lewis we have to go." Hannah said and Simon nodded in agreement. Lewis took on last look at the holographic image of Turp's falling to the floor dead and then at the body before clutching Hannah's hand and running.

This was crazy. Beyond crazy at this point. His friend were set in some kind of killing game for no given reason. They didn't deserve this, to be put into this game where the only possible way to win was to kill… or be an accessory to murder. Was there even any consequences for what they were about to do? Lewis wasn't sure that even if there wasn't that would be a good thing.

They doubled back the way they came, slowing to a walk when they approached the place where they had all gathered. Everyone had scattered at this point. Lewis let go of Hannah and scanned the area.

"There are shells on the floor." He noticed the red cases strewn around in random places. "Seems Strippin did find some ammo." Lewis grimaced and stood up. "We need to find more of the others. We stick as a large ground, it at least makes it easier to... pick apart those trying to kill us."

"What makes you so sure they would even agree to stick together?" Sjin said his voice faltering. "We can't trust anyone here but-"

"Me." Lewis finished. "I'm the detective. Confirmed innocent. They would gather around me, either to survive, or to kill me."

"You're putting a lot of danger on yourself Lewis." Hannah told him even though he already knew. "This is… all wrong anyway. I don't want anyone to die least of all you." Lewis was surprised she admitted it. Hannah was one to try and stay strong and focus on the task. He took comfort in the fact she was worried.

He smiled. "Let's find more of the others." He said finally.

"I totally agree Lew Lew!"

Everyone turned, Lewis reaching out to tickle the handle of the gun in his inventory. Behind them was the familiar bubbly figure of Zoe Proasheck, except she was holding a big rifle. "We should find Rythian and the others they would know what to do!"

"Erm, Zoe?" Lewis said stepping in front of everyone. Look at him being the big man. "That gun… Where did you get it?"

"Oh this?" She giggled. "I found it up that big building. It's really cool right? I mean it's so easy to use and very fast to shoot."

"Lewis. You don't think?" Simon whispered to him but Lewis did not want to find out what it was. He was sure that it was the same weapon that killed Turps.

"Zoe you have impeccable timing." He smiled. "Why don't you come with us so we can find Rythian together? Although putting that gun away would be nice, don't want it going off accidently."

"Oh right yeah." She waved and the gun disappeared without as much as a pop. "Right shall we be off then? I wonder if there are any mushrooms here." She skipped down a larger side road leaving the others perplexed. Lewis just sighed.

"It's made our job at least slightly easier." He said. "One down."

"Can we trust her?" Hannah asked him.

"The fact we even have to ask that question is half the reason why I don't want to answer it… nor do I want to."

They followed Zoe down the road. The streets were the same dark grey but at least they were slightly more lit up. Around then small fires burnt with warmth that Lewis could actually feel. He was unnerved by the fact he could FEEL in this place. Rubble sat in piles around broken buildings. Classic apocalypse map.

"Look!" they heard ahead of them. Zoe ran to a pavement and pointed down at something on the floor. "An M16! Cool right?"

The others shuffled their walk towards it, staring at the black assault rifle on the floor. Lewis frowned. "These guns are everywhere. People must be armed by now."

"How do you know they are everywhere?" Simon asked him.

Lewis thought for a second, then decided he better tell them now rather than them freaking out later. "I… have a gun."

"Lewis what?" Hannah said thankfully not taking a step away from him.

"Well it was on the floor when I woke up and well, I had no idea what was going on. It's better that I took it and not someone who could actually use it." He said. "Besides. I think at some point we are all going to have to use them. Who wants this one?"

No one raised their hand.

"It makes sense to arm as many people as possible." He said. "We don't want to be outgunned if the worst should happen…"

"Oh for god sakes fine." Hannah said walking over to the rifle and picking it up. "I'll take it."

"Yay girls got fire power!" Zoe said clapping and holding out her hand for Hannah to high five, which she eventually did half-heartedly.

Lewis nodded and pressed on. He noticed along the floor the occasional shotgun shell. Strippin went this way.

"Be careful." He noted. "Our friends have certainly been here."

"Your right Lewis I have." Said a voice behind him, followed quickly by the cocking of gun. "And then I came back."

Lewis turned on his heels slowly, his hands raised to find Strippin pointing a gun yet again at his face, a wide smile over his face which was dashed with blood. "Strippin please think about what you're doing here."

"Oh I know what I'm doing." He said grinning even wider. "Well kind of. I mean I'm not really sure why I'm okay with killing you all, but I know why. I'm a traitor. It's my job." Lewis felt the colour go from his face. He turned to see the others with their hands raised and a very annoyed looking Zoe complying. Strippin turned to her. "You shot my buddy Zoe. You didn't even know he was a traitor! Ha, see Lewis? Even the innocent maybe aren't so… well innocent."

"Hands up."

Strippin froze as now from the shadows to his left a new person came into focus. Matt Fyre held a small pistol pointed at the muscular man's head while Phil held a sub-machine gun in his hands. Behind them followed Zylus who look determined even though his shoulder was bleeding. "Oh fucking hell, I should have shot right through you buddy. Not my fault this shotty's got crap aim."

"I said hands up." Matt ordered and as Strippin did it curing he plucked the gun from his hands and threw it to Zylush who caught it. "Lewis are you okay?"

Yeah I am Matt thanks." Lewis said lowering his arms. The others tried to follow, but Phil help up his gun to then questioningly and they raised them again. Lewis stood between them. "They are okay. I've been with them the whole time and they didn't try anything." Phil took a second before nodding and lowering his gun.

"Good thing we caught up with you." Zylush smiled. "Took a bullet in the shoulder trying to hide. Found Fyre guys not too far away, they were stocked. So what should we do about Sam here?"

"How about you let me go, and I come back with a BIGGER gun to kill you with." Strippin said.

Lewis thought for a second. Strippin was a traitor he knew that much, but to kill him in cold blood right now? It was the best option, but also the hardest. "Keep him contained for now. Killing him… He's still our friend."

"Awh really?" Sam said smiling. "I hope you choke on Hannah's dick."

"Enough out of you. We will try and find some of the others and decide what to do with him then" Matt poked him in the small of his back to get him moving. Zylush, Simon and Sjin followed. Lewis smiled to Hannah who was shaking slightly.

"That was… more scary then it needed to be." She said.

Phill passed her and stopped. "Sorry I pointed a gun at you Hannah. You can't trust anyone right now but… Still." He moved back up to join Matt leaving Hannah and Lewis alone. For the first time in since the news had been broken to them about their situation they were alone. Hannah stepped forward and place her head on his shoulder, not saying a word. Nothing needed to be said. There was only two possibilities that would come out of this. Either both of them will die, or they live to see their friends die, or even worse the other person ends up alone. Lewis loved Hannah with all his heart, and he knew she didn't want to see any of her friends die, least of all him.

"We must keep moving." He said, pulling her back and smiling at her gently. She nodded and gripped his hands to catch up to the others.

Once they were behind the others, they caught the conversation they were having. It was getting heated.

"Zoe you shot him." Sjin was saying to the girl who was skipping in front of everyone. "He was a traitor fair enough, but how were you suppose to know that?"

"Does it matter?" She sighed. "He was a baddy. I am a goody. I shoot baddy."

"Yes but how could you have known? You shot him when for all you knew he was a goody Zoe. Why did you shoot him?"

Zoe stopped and turned to Sjin making everyone slow the pace. "Sjin. You're a very smart man, so when I tell you I had a hunch, I think you understand what I mean."

Sjin paused and blinked. "What's a hunch got to do with smart?"

"Because you should be smart enough to know I have the gun between us two." She smirked and skipped off, leaving very pale Sjin to go quiet.

"Lewis she did kill in cold blood." Hannah told him. "We can't be sure to trust her."

"A traitor wouldn't kill another traitor." He reassured Sjin patting his shoulder. "Sometimes people have to take a risk to get rewards."

"It was a hell of a risk Lewis…" Sjin said but he dropped it after that. Soon they reached what seemed to be the centre of the map, a large open space surrounded by rubble and low walls. As they approached more familiar faces came into sight. That of Duncan and Kim who were thankfully unscathed.

"Good to see you guys again." Duncan smiled, then noticed Strippin walking with Matt holding a gun to him. "So you caught our first traitor? Nice!"

"Eat a dick Duncan."

"He's not the first." Lewis told him. "Zoe caught Turps of guard. He's… dead. But he was a traitor too."

"Turps?" Duncan grimaced. "That's unfortunate. We saw Hat Films earlier but they didn't seem to be stopping any time soon. Trott looked worse for wear."

"Yeah that's because I clocked him right in the ear!" Strippin laughed. Matt jabbed him hard with the barrel of the gun and he shut up.

"So." Kim said her eyes fearful. "What now?"

It took a second for the gunshot to register to Lewis. It was Matt's screams that alerted him first. He should have been quicker. The shot sounded behind them followed by a loud yell of "Phil!" as a body dropped next to Lewis cold and dead, blood already pooling around it.

"Sniper!" Lewis yelled pushing Hannah and the others towards a small door in the building next to them. Zylush followed holding Strippin while Matt and Lewis stood in the street, exposed.

"Phil no!" Matt was beside the body of his friend, his hands cupping his face gently but the life was gone from his face. Lewis gripped Matt's shoulder tightly, his other hand picking up the sub-machine gun he dropped.

"Matt we need to go!" Just as the words left Lewis' mouth another gunshot racked his ears as the wall behind him pinged with the connecting bullet. Matt reluctantly let go of his friend and ran with Lewis to the cover of the small building, diving into the door where the others stood waiting.

"What the fuck can we please not get shot at or have a gun pointed at us for 5 minutes?" Simon yelled as Lewis checked the door, peaking out into the street. He followed where the bullet hit the wall to roughly where the sniper was. He couldn't see anything from his position but another bullet impacted the wall next to the door and he closed it quickly.

"He's in the building facing us." Lewis confirmed. "Zoe, can you get up to the roof? Check the building and see what you can find?"

"I'm on it boss!" She screeched.

"Oh Zoe?" He called after her. "Don't shoot." She frowned and nodded, disappearing up the stairs. Lewis signalled for everyone to stand against the wall before he joined Matt who was leaning against it his face blank. "Matt… I'm sorry."

The man didn't say anything. He was still almost a boy, barely old enough for any of the gear he was wearing. He looked at Lewis. "Phil did not deserve that… none of us do. Lewis, promise me something? If you see a traitor, don't think of them of anything but a friend. That way you know given the choice, they wouldn't ever dream of hurting any of us, and they would rather die than have to kill."

Lewis listened to Matt's words intently. He was right, he knew if he was to make the choice in this game he would rather be killed than kill one of his friends. It was almost like mercy, but that didn't make it any easier. "Of course."

More gunshots were heard outside, and soon they heard from above then the sound of rushing feet as Zoe came to join them. "It's Panda!"

"John?" Lewis said shocked. "Well it explains bad aim. All those hours in Day Z clearly haven't changed much."

"He's improving with each shot." Zoe told him. "I could have got him… I had a clear shot."

Before Lewis could argue he heard the sound of the door open suddenly. He whipped around, his gun coming up on instinct as he pointed it at the intruder.

"Oh don't shoot!"

"Sips!" Sjin yelled running to his Canadian friend and pulling him inside. "Oh man I was worried about you, you know?"

"Oh please Sjin. Old propeller boy here can pull his own weight." He smirked, his usual easy going character unbroken. "So I see you got a little sniper problem?"

"A little." Lewis confirmed. "What shall we do about it?"

"I say get Zoe to shoot him." Kim suggested. "She got a clear shot didn't she?"

"Well when I say clear." Zoe scratched her head. "Does firing it into pitch black building clear?"

"Then we take the fight to him." Matt spoke up finally. "I can do it. He shot Phil, if anyone deserves to kill Panda it's me."

"Panda is still our friend." Lewis motioned. "If we kill it's not for revenge, it's for mercy. Just like you told me."

"It could be both."

"Well you the fucking detective here." Sips said. "You decide Lewis."

Lewis thought hard. It would certainly be safer for Zoe to try and take care of it, but then again she said she didn't have a shot. She was more exposed and more at risk. Close combat would be hard, and Matt would not be the best person to send, not after Phil.

"I'll go."

"Lewis!" Hannah protested.

"I'll go with Zylush." He told her, turning to Zylush who waited a second before nodding. "It's best we go in a pair, to watch our backs. Zoe provides a distraction, and I go for the kill." He turned to Matt. "Sorry but you stay here and watch Sam. Please don't be angry."

Matt sighed, looking like his protest was gone. "I get it. I'll stay."

"Hey does anyone want a gun?" Sips said pulling out another M16 to match Hannah's. "I don't really want this it's not really big enough for me."

"I'll take it." Duncan stepped forward. "Okay so Lewis and Zylush go while we hold here."

Hannah turned to him, upset but beaten by votes. "Okay… Just be careful." She said kissing him once before pulling out her own gun and standing next to Matt to guard Strippin. Lewis smiled and Zylush moved to join him.

"Hannah is in charge." Lewis turned to Simon who looked worried. He clapped his old friend on the shoulder. "Don't worry buddy I will be back soon enough." Simon nodded slightly and Lewis moved the door, placing his hand on the handle bracing himself.

"Ready?" Zylush said holding his shotgun to the door and the street beyond. Lewis didn't bother to answer. He would never be fully ready, but he was as good as he could get. He turned the handle and sprinted for the cover of a side street not too far away.

As soon as his foot hit the pavement the gunshots began to rain. Puffs of dust and rubble flew past his shins as he ran, bullets hitting around him but missing him luckily. He reached the side street out of sight of the building the sniper was sat in and Lewis dived against the wall panting. Zylush was right behind him, his face strained and his shoulder still bleeding slightly. Lewis regretted asking him to come along.

"Are you okay?" He asked. "Do you need to go back? I can handle this on my own."

Zylush laughed. "Na you're alright. Hannah and Simon are the only other people you trust right? You know I'm okay too, since Strippin shot me. You needed two people to stay behind and one to watch your back. Smart plan."

Lewis grinned. "Just be careful with that shoulder okay?" And he pressed on sliding along the wall keeping low, Zylush at his heels. Soon more gunshots were heard, but from behind them. Zoe had begun her distraction. Lewis still wasn't sure what exactly was going on in her mind, but at least she was on his side.

They reached the end of the side street and Lewis peered around the side. The building Panda was in was directly in sight, and from the floor he was in John would never be able to see them coming. Unless he had set up traps.

"Let's watch our step." They shuffled onto the road Lewis holding his gun low but his finger over the trigger, shacking slightly. He had never held a real gun before, and he was surprised by how similar it was to holding a replica air rifle or air soft gun. It scared him how simple the thought of pulling the trigger was.

They reached the entrance to the building. Zylush took the other side, and waiting for Lewis' go. They were taking this like a police force then. Lewis could get into that. It's just like roleplay. He pointed to himself, signalling he would go first, then counted down with his finger from three, and when they reached zero he held his gun up, aiming down the sights and pushed into the building.

It was again identical to the building he had woken up in, just doors and stairs with no hand rail. Panda was three or four floors up, so Lewis started ascending. He kept his eyes on the floor above, hoping that behind him Zylush was checking the corners he wasn't. it was a strange thought, that they were going through this like a professional operation or something the police or army did. It felt weird to him, but he tried to push that to the back of his mind and think about it later.

More gunshots were heard outside as he reached the first floor. The door on this floor was open. Lewis checked behind him and signalled to Zylush, telling him to form up on him. Zylush understood and moved next to him, and together they moved up to the wooden door, and Lewis took a deep breath and swung round the door his gun held up.

And the room was empty.

He breathed out. "All clear." He whispered to Zylush. Gunshots sounded above them, loud and close. Panda was defiantly here. "Let's hurry this up." He moved to the stairs and jogged lightly up them, trying to make as little noise as possible but he guessed the gunshots where louder than his feet. The next floor was empty as well, the door closed so Lewis just moved past it and waited for Zylush at the bottom of the next flight of stairs. Zylush then flinched. "What is it?"

"It's… Duncan." He said surprised. "I can hear him in my head like messages, he says he figured out a way to talk long distance. He says Panda is on the floor above us. Zoe has eyes on us through the window." Lewis turned to the window behind them, nodding and waving once. "Uhh she says hi back."

"Nifty." Lewis admitted. "Okay. Ready? Tell Dunc we are ready to breach on Zoe's go." Zylush nodded and closed his eyes, then opened them and signalled ok. Lewis held up his gun and flicked the safety. No going back. He placed his foot on the first step, then one the second gunshots pinged on the side of the building, quickly followed by return fire. Lewis continued, his head eventually poking over the edge of the floor above and seeing the door open. He as here.

Now Lewis felt his brow sweating. His hand felt clammy against the cold handle of the gun he held in his hands. A real gun. With really bullets. Was it real? Was the game real? They were put here to kill each other, but did they really die? He didn't know. He didn't want to kill his friends.

"They would rather die than have to kill." Matt's words revolved around his head as he reached the third floor, the gunshots now deafening his ears making his heart race. He was shaking more than ever now, his aim would be off. He couldn't believe it. He was about to walk in on his friend who was trying to kill him and the others and he was worried about his aim?

He reached the door. It was closed but he could hear the gunshots come from inside. Zylush stood in front of it his shotgun raised and his stance nervous. He too was shaking, his eyes looking towards Lewis for courage. Lewis couldn't afford to be scared now, what he was about to do was for the greater good. Or so he hoped.

He waited for another gunshot to ring from inside before turning the handle of the door. He then swung it open inwards and let the contents of the room come into view. Panda was crouching by the window, a large sniper rifle in his hands aiming down onto the street with his eyes looking through his glasses and through the scope.

"Right… adjust the aim slightly. Weird how this version of G-Mod has ballistics." He was muttering to himself as he moved his gun and pulled the trigger. "Ohhhh that was close."

Lewis looked at Zylush who stared at Panda in disbelief. Lewis moved in closer, his gun pointing at his friend. Panda pulled the trigger again, but only received a sharp click in response. Out of ammo, now was Lewis's chance.

"Drop it."

Panda froze in his position. A smile drifted across his face. "Awh I knew I should have moved when I saw you leave!"

"John." Lewis said quietly. "Drop the gun."

Panda waited a second, then placed the sniper on the ground and stood up with his hands raised. "Can I move away from the window? I think Zoe is taking this game a little to lightly." Lewis nodded and Panda stepped away once, Zylush came in to join them, his gun pointed right at Panda. "Oh Zylush good to see you buddy!"

"Buddy?" Zylush asked. "You tried to shoot at us!"

"Well yes of course, I'm a traitor." Panda answered as if it was obvious. "It's what I do. I shoot you innocents. Stripping didn't do a very good job, but I got one didn't I? Oh the look on Phil's face was perfect. He never saw it coming."

"John…" Lewis said his voice trying to leave him but he held it back. "I don't want to kill you."

"Awh, still got your morals?" Panda laughed. "My humanity would be very low right now. I don't seem to care about morals anymore…" Surprisingly he looked sad about that. "One thing about morals though? That included trust. And you shouldn't trust anyone Lewis, least of all your friends. Even those close to you will shoot you in the back."

Zylush held his gun up higher, pointing it right at Panda's face. "Come on and move!"

"Hmmm…" Panda said scratching his head. "No." And from out of nowhere a gun appeared in his hand and he pointed it right at Zylush who didn't see it coming.

Another gunshot.

This time Lewis could hear it loud and clear, he even felt the gun kick. There was only one reason why he would feel the gun kick as it fired a bullet, and that was if he fired it. Which he had done. Panda staggered back and hit the far wall, his eyes closed and mouth open. He slid down the surface, and as he did a wide trail of crimson followed him down. Once he reached the floor, he stopped moving forever.

Lewis didn't move. Zylush didn't move. All was quiet. Eerie, cold silence spread over them as Lewis held the smoking gun as he realised what he had done. He had pulled the trigger, fired a few bullets, at least 7 or 8, and they had riddled across Panda's chest, killing him. Lewis had killed him. He lowered the gun, his breathing weak.

"L-Lewis?" Zylush said. "You… You shot him."

"I know." Lewis said.

"Are you okay?"

Lewis though for a second, then all his head and body failed him as he uttered a single word.

"Yes."

Truth was, he was okay. He felt nothing. He didn't feel anything for the friend he had just murdered before his very eyes. It was as if swatting fly. Simple, easy. Lewis hated himself for it. He walked over to the corpse, crouching down over it and touching the limp shoulder. Upon contact, the bright red "T" hovered over Panda's corpse, the dead eyes almost looking at it.

"Let's get back." He finally said, walking out of the room as stunned Zylush following behind him. As he descended the stairs he realised he had just left the corpse of his friend just lying there. No burial, not even saying sorry. What was wrong with him? He felt no tears no sorrow, just plain and simple feeling of relief. And it burned him inside like fire. Hateful fire.

The whole trip back they didn't speak until the door swung open, and guns spot upwards pointing at then, before relaxing. "Oh… Sorry forgot to shout." Lewis sighed his voice low.

Before he could say anything Hannah rushed over and hugged him tightly, before pulling away smiling widely. "You did it. We are safe thanks to you, it's okay." She said squeezing his hand again.

Zoe descended the stair to greet them. "Saw the gunshot." She said simply her face blank.

"So… he's…" Duncan began but didn't finished. Matt stood by Stripping his gun still pointed but his head hung low.

Lewis looked at the faces around him. A mixture of emotion across them, some fear, some sadness, one smile. These were his friends, no matter what they felt. He would do anything for them. Even if it meant making sure they never hurt anyone without regret.

Then again, he felt that right now.

He had to be the bigger man here. He was Detective, he had to. It was in the job description, he thought. He took a deep breath and spoke to his friends. "Let's move."

No one objected. Lewis took the lead out the door, still checking his corners as he led them out onto the street, Sam being escorted by Sips and Matt.

"You know, I was wondering." Sips spoke in his usual loud voice, not that Lewis minded. It was a breath of familiarity. "How many of us do you think are traitors then?"

"I bet you He knows." Kim nodded towards Stripping who had been unusually quiet as they convoyed down the main street searching.

Stripping smiled "Yeah well, why should I tell you? I don't care if I live or die, in fact I have no idea why Lewis didn't shoot me when he got back. He did it to Panda easy. No regrets right buddy?"

Lewis didn't say anything.

"Samuel Strippin do us a favour?" Sips said. "Shut your fucking mouth, or tell us how many of you bastards are left?" Lewis was surprised how serious Sips sounded, but he knew the humour was part of who he was. He was even tempted to laugh. Funny how you can find joy in circumstances that stood against you.

Strippin did indeed shut his mouth. Soon they found themselves walking in circles with no luck, and Lewis knew it wasn't working. People were hiding, for good reason. He needed to find them, or let them find him.

"This place could do with a bit of a clean-up couldn't it?" Simon stated simple, walking next to Lewis, who smiled.

"Yeah I mean, the brochure looked nothing like this." He joked. He was surprised he could still feel enjoyment. Simon had that effect on him, after all best friends were there to make you feel better.

Simon laughed his typical laugh, high and joyful. "You know of all the game I imagined being pulled into, I thought it would be more adventure based. Mario maybe? Portal would be good but I would start feeling sick."

"I thought it might be cool to try out World of Warcraft." Lewis admitted. "Then again if its anything as realistic as this I would be destroyed." He grinned. He was glad he had Simon with him. He always had a knack of finding the right time to send a positive message.

Then he realized how stupid he had been.

"Zoe?" He asked the bubbly girl to his left who was stroking her rifle eagerly. She picked up her head to focus on him. "Can you message any of the others?"

"Of course I can silly!" She said making it sound like it was obvious.

"Oh you have to be joking!" Zylush scoffed. "This whole time we could have got them to come to us!"

"Maybe we don't want that." Hannah said sceptically.

"Yeah, after all we can't trust anyone." Simon agreed.

"We have to at least try. The sooner this is over the better." Lewis get the ultimatum. "Zoe, message Rythian. See where he is we will go to him."

Zoe nodded and closed her eyes, then opened them again. "Okay sent. Oh and he already replied." She scratched her head. "He says… He already see's us… And that we should get behind a wall… Because BeBop and Dave are coming over with guns and they are both traitors confirmed."

Everyone looked at each other.

"Grab Strippin lets move!" Lewis shouted grabbing Simon's wrist and Hannah's hand and rushing them over to a tall wall, dashing behind it and bringing his gun back up. The others took an opposite wall, Matt forcing Strippin's head down his gun readied. Lewis peaked out, and saw the street empty of life.

'To the right of the street. Look at the roof of the grey van.'

Lewis glaced around him. He could have sworn that was Rythian's voice, but he wasn't anywhere around him. It must be the messages Zoe was talking about. Guess it really was a thing. Lewis followed the instruction, looking to the right hand side of the street towards a Van they had passed several times.

Sure enough, just as he looked a figure climb atop the roof of the large delivery Van. It was BeBop, in his hands a black Glock loaded and ready, and beside the car Dave, a grin on his face. Somehow his iconic fedora had followed him into this game.

Lewis wasn't sure how the telepathic messaging thing worked, so he just closed his eyes and thought of Rythian's appearance, hoping that would work. He spoke to the image. 'Think you could give us some more help?'

'Sorry buddy.' The Swede spoke in his mind. 'This sniper is all out of ammo. I can only observe. But they killed Brent and Eric. Shot them in cold blood.' He said in a distasteful voice. Lewis looked down. Brent and Eric did not deserve that, but their loss should not go in vain.

Lewis looked over to the other side, pointing over to the Van discreetly. The others followed his direction then nodded, waiting for more instructions.

"Divide and conquer." Hannah whispered to him. "Back in the WaW days." She smiled.

"These aren't swords." Lewis said holding up his gun. "But that sounds like a plan. How?"

He didn't have to come up with a plan. Dave motioned to BeBop, who got off the Van and began to stroll in the opposite direction to Dave. Lewis didn't want to test his luck asking God why they did that but he took it as the first sign of things going their way.

"Let's move." He said. He passed his primary weapon to Simon, who looked shocked to receive it. "Here hold this buddy. Think you can shoot it?"

"I think so." He said checking over it. "How hard could it be?" He smiled. Lewis nodded and smiled back, pulling out the Deagle he picked up a while ago and moved over to the other side, hoping Dave wouldn't spot them. He kept low and used mound of gravel as cover until he reached the others. "Right, Duncan and Zoe, go after BeBop. Hannah and I have Dave. The others fall back, try and find Rythian. If you need to talk to him just think of his face, and speak to it okay? Right, go."

Matt pulled Strippin along pointing his gun close to the back of his head making sure he made no noise. Lewis knew he was prepared to pull the trigger to, but was he ready for what came next? Now wasn't the time to ask, him and Hannah sprinted for the shelter of a small building, the walls mostly fallen down and in rubble. He peaked out through one gap onto the street, seeing BeBop disappear round a bend, and not too far away Zoe and Duncan slinking into a parallel street out of site. Dave was no-where to be seen however.

"I haven't got eyes on him." Lewis whispered to Hannah behind him. "I don't get it where could he have gone?"

"Oh I dunno." Said a new voice behind him. "Could be anywhere I expect. Maybe he's jacking off, best not to think of that really."

Lewis spun around his gun raised. Behind him was not only his partner, who was stood in shock still by the way they came in, but a small group of the rest of their friends. Parv, Martyn and Ted stood in a corner, all of them armed with pistols or rifles smiling at Lewis. The three guys from Hat Films, all standing smirking at Smithy's immature comment, which filled Lewis with Relief.

"How did you not see these guys when you came in Lewis?" Hannah scoffed.

"I-I don't really know." He said. Maybe he was seeing things to seriously, getting to into this game they were playing. He was so focused on trying to lead and set an example of no fear, he hadn't noticed his surroundings. Then he remembered his mission. "Guys we have a problem, no time to chat. Dave is out there, he's a traitor. Rythain saw him shoot Brent and Eric, he's in the street right now."

"Oh lord!" Martyn said covering his mouth. "Then we really are killing out friend?!"

"Shit lads." Ross stepped forward. In his arms was a LMG, Smithy had an identical one. "If Dave is a traitor he must have heard us!"

Lewis checked outside the building, quickly retracting his head again. "I see him. He's over by the Van still, watching out." Lewis held his gun up. "Guys… I've taken out Panda, he was a traitor too. I can handle it."

Everyone looked at him in surprise, except Hannah who glanced over at him with sad eyes before checking their backs again. She must be going through a lot, watching the man she loved forced to kill his friends. But Lewis had to do it, if not for himself, but to keep her alive. She was almost all that mattered to him.

He gripped his pistol. "Wait here everyone." He said, stepping out onto the street. He kept in a crouch, his eyes finding a path behind Dave who was facing away from him, no gun in sight. Lewis felt his heart thud against this chest. The feeling wasn't sending him into a panic, in fact it drove him. Somehow in all of this the anticipation of having to kill his friend spurred him on, because he had to do it. And he wanted it done as quickly and painlessly as possible.

He tried to keep his breath quiet but it was almost impossible. He felt his hands sweat and his brow too. Adrenaline was pumping throughout him making him shake. How Dave didn't hear his body almost going into shock he did not know, even as he stood up slowly, close enough to point the barrel of his gun at Dave's head and rest it against it.

Dave raised his hands slowly. "Looks like I'm got. Friend or foe?"

"Friend." Lewis said slowly.

Dave sighed with relief. "Oh thank god. Detective Lewis glad you're here, I should call Keith back we were looking for-" A gunshot sounded in the distance, and Dave froze. "Wh-BeBop?"

"That was Zoe and Duncan taking him out." Lewis told him. "Zoe probably did it. She shows no mercy to traitors apparently, even if they are friends…"

"But Lewis he-"

"That's what will make this so hard…"

"L-Lewis I'm no-"

"But I have to protect as many of my friends as I can, and that means stopping the ones that want to hurt them. I'm sorry Dave, but that's what's making it easy." Lewis said clicking the safety off. "You may be my friend, but while you're a traitor I can't let you hurt anyone else."

And before he could react Dave span round punching Lewis in the stomach making his gun drop to the floor which Dave kicked away. Lewis straightened up and balled his fist, throwing it at Dave contacting it with his face making his nose explode with blood. He staggered and stood up, finally facing Lewis properly. "W-Wait you're the detective!"

"Of course I am!" Lewis said, his belly aching but he didn't stop. He spotted the gun to his left and he ran for it, reaching down and bringing it up but Dave was already on him, grasping the gun and pulling it away from him.

"No don't do this!" Dave shouted. Lewis gritted his teeth and continued to push against Dave's resistance fighting over control of the gun. His finger was on the trigger, and the gun was slowly bending towards his opponent.

"I'm sorry…" Lewis said finally winning the fight, the gun pointed straight at Dave's face.

"N-No Lewis wait I'm in-"

Lewis's hand burned in pain as he fired.

Blood splattered over his hands and face as the bullet ran straight through Dave's neck, spewing in all directions as his muscles turned instantly limp and he dropped to the ground. Lewis wobbled back, rubbing his burning hands from the gun's kick his throat rising in vomit as he felt the blood smeared over his arms and hands, his face. Across the floor around the dead corpse of his former friend. Twice in the matter of a few hours he had ended two of his friend's lives.

He couldn't hold his stomach and barely held back the sick in his throat. He dropped the blood-stained gun and feel onto the floor, panting and crying from the pain in his hand and heart. After a few moments his friends came into site, slowing to a halt as they reached the body of Dave. Hannah stepped around it and dropped her gun and knelt next to Lewis and without saying it pull him into her arms. He gripped her tightly, his heart still hammering inside his chest. No one said a word until she released him and helped him to his feet.

"Well…" Smith said his voice low and quiet, completely unlike him.

"It's done." Lewis said simply, reaching down and picking up his Deagle. "We should regroup with the others. Zoe? Duncan?" He thought outloud picturing his other friends.

Nothing.

'Guys?' He asked again.

"Whats wrong?" Parv asked him.

'Lewis…' he heard an almost unrecognisable Duncan speak in his head. 'We have a problem.'

Lewis' eyes widened.

"Wha-What is it?" Trott said his hands shaking slightly.

Lewis didn't say a word. He walked over to the body of Dave, his fedora gone from his head and lay a few inches from his bloodied face. He knelt down and touched the lifeless shell.

And a green light flew above him, forming the dreadful, and paralysing, letter "I"

"Rhythian…" Lewis said his voice filling turning sour as his throat filled with lumps of guilt.

'Thanks buddy.' The cold laugh called in his mind. 'Ohh that was rich. Great leadership, killing those who are on your team. Next… I hope they turn on you.' And with that he was gone.

"Lewis he-he was." Hannah said covering her mouth.

"Simon… and the others!" Lewis stood up and ran back onto the street, ready to run down it but turning to see his friends hesitant to follow, all but Hannah. "Guys we need to go."

"Lewis… you killed an innocent." Martyn stepped away a little.

"Rhytian tricked us!" He explained. "We don't have time we have to rescue the others."

They all looked at each other but then reluctantly followed. Lewis sighed in relief and ran with them down the main street, his mind desperately trying to picture the faces of his friends in danger but he couldn't think straight. The evil laugh of the Swede kept blocking them out. Eventually Duncan and Zoe came out a side street and matched their sprint.

"Kim says they haven't encountered Rhythian, but they are held up inside a house with a red roof!" Duncan shouted to Lewis as they turned a corner and kept going. His lungs began to burn, his muscles weak under the heavy garments, and the heaviest of all, his heart.

"There!" Zoe pointed the house with the red roof. Lewis reached the door first and stepped back to kick it open.

"Fre-Lewis!" Sips laughed in liberation. "Jesus Christ I almost blew your head off!"

"Rhythian tricked us!" Lewis explained, only then noticing the blood on Sips face. "Sips?"

Sips looked down. "Strippin escaped." He led them into the next room where Kim was nursing a bullet in Matt's side. Fyre winced in pain as Kim wrapped shoddy bandage around his midriff but he seemed otherwise ok. "Bastard Scandiv took us of guard, hit Matt and Strippin managed to escape."

"BeBop and Dave were… Innocent." Hannah told Simon who looked at Lewis with fearful eyes. Lewis just looked away.

"Maybe the Detective shouldn't be so quick to trust." Sjin said his eyes one Lewis too, who glared back.

"In that case you can't be trusted." He said, not moving his eyes at all from the bearded farmer, who lost the fight and backed down.

"None of us can be trusted." Parv said quietly.

Immediately everyone looked at each other.

"Guys." Lewis said stepping between them all. "I am the detective. As long as innocents are around me they are safe."

"You just shot one!" Ross exclaimed. "Maybe we can't trust you. No one likes a dirty cop."

"I didn't know!..." Lewis started.

"Okay alright!" Kim stood between them all her hands up. "Here seems like a good a place as any. I say we camp here for the night. It seems we don't need food but I think we could all do with a rest."

People nodded in agreement.

"Then we take watches in fours."

"Why three?" Simon asked.

"There are 26 of us. And usually the ratio of innocents to traitor is three to one. That makes seven or eight of us traitors." Kim explained. "Two are dead, Turps and Panda, and another two are out there. That leaves at least three among us."

This just made Lewis more uneasy. "Alright fours it is. I will take first watch with Hannah and-"

"No." Hannah said looking at him. "You need to rest Lewis. You out of all of us need it."

"Yeah I agree." Simon said smiling at him and gently patting his shoulder.

"But-" Sjin tried to argue but quickly lost his argument.

"I will go on first watch with Kim, Zylush and Parv." Hannah said walking over to Lewis again and kissing his forehead before smiling and walking back into the front. Lewis sighed in defeat.

…

Later that night… or day, Lewis was not sure since the sky seemed permanently dark, he awoke with start. He breathe heavily his hands reaching to his face to rub his eyes free of the faces, first Turps, then Panda's, BeBop's and Phil's, then Dave's. The last being the worst of all, bloody and pale, dead as dead can be, and all because of him. He layed back onto the floor and stared at the cracked ceiling, his body numb.

He heard voices from outside the wall. Hannah and Kim were still on their watch, and he just about heard the middle of their conversation. "… Seems distant now... ever since he walked out of that building when we first got here." He heard Hanna speak

"Well can you blame him?"

"No I can't, that's why it feels worse…" She replied. "I can't blame him for all the things he is doing, because he has to do it. He has to do the thing he never even thought would ever happen and all I can do is watch him destroy himself."

"So should he stop?" Kim asked.

Hannah didn't answer, and silence fell upon the surroundings once again, and the darkness covered his eyes and the faces began to shape in his mind, but this time everyone's face, all his friends, his family, all of whom he might have to kill in order to save.

Then the gunshots woke him.

Immediately he grabbed his gun and he was running through the house, out onto the street meeting Duncan at the front. "The fuck is happening?!"

"It came from down the road!" Zylush said rushing past him his gun out as he ran in the direction it came from. Lewis and Duncan followed, finding themselves being led by Zylush down and alley past the house. Thy reached the centre where the alley split into three paths, forward, back, and then down another alley and into a car park behind the house where Zylush stopped, his eyes wide.

Lewis stood next to him, following his eyes. The vomit rose in his throat again. "Oh god…"

Blood peppered the walls along with bullet holes as resting against the repetitive brick surface was the body of Parv, his face a look of horror and his body almost ripped apart by bullets. Well and truly dead.

"He… just went out to piss." Zylush spoke in shock. Behind him he heard others join them, and cries of shock followed. "He... said he would be back in a minute."

"Who… oh god." Kim stepped away covering her mouth, Martyn not fairing to well either.

Martyn clenched his rifle. "Strippin came back with Rhythian?"

"Maybe." Lewis said, couching down and carefully touching a not fleshy part of Parv's body and revealed the green light and floating innocent card. "So we can assume it wasn't self-defence.. He was attacked.

"It.. must have been them then?" Trott exclaimed his voice a little too heavy for Lewis' liking.

"Everyone back to the house." He said slowly pulling out the visualizer.

"Finally the detective detects things." Sjin muttered and followed the others, but Lewis held Simon back.

"Keep watch for me." He said, noticing Hannah glace back with an unreadable expression. He turned back to the body, holding his stomach as he placed the visualizer on the ground and activated it allowing the blue orb-like sphere surround them.

This time, there was not one red line directing a single bullet, but rather a forest of them, all of them riddling across Parv's chest as soon as he was finished zipping his fly and turning to leave.

"He never saw it coming." Simon said his voice quiet.

"The Traitors were firing from down that alley." Lewis pointed. "They would have had to been waiting, there is no access from the back of the house. We need to ask everyone who was out of the house before Parv left." Lewis nodded. He hated wanted to confront and ask question, interrogate his friends but he had to. They made their way back to the house, Lewis adjusting his tweed hat, which he had to admit he was rather fond of by now.

He walked in to find an argument in sew.

"I am just saying, I haven't seen you point fire a gun at anything, not even when Panda had us pinned. You weren't the one trying to cover our escape. You just hung back and pretended to help. Like you didn't want us to survive."

"Since when do you talk with your arse Sjin?" Hannah retorted.

"Your boyfriend seems to be good at it."

"What?"

"I just don't think we can trust anyone, regardless of his choice of headwear! He murdered Dave and for all we know he has no idea what he is-" Sjin stopped as he saw Lewis enter, his hand falling from Hannah's face which seemed to fume. Lewis had obviously entered just in time to save Sjin's face from a left hook.

He closed the door after Simon and surveyed the people in front of him. Blank faced mostly, a few weak stances, one smile. Zoey wouldn't have done it she slept through most of the gunfire. And Hannah and Kim at least couldn't have made it time to kill Parv down that alley.

"Well?" Duncan started looking at him expectedly.

"Whatever he was killed by... It was fast and brutal." Lewis started.

"What does that mean exactly?" Sjin said his voice brittle. Lewis knew why he was putting up this front, he was scared. He had plenty of chances killing Lewis and didn't, it was unlikely to be him.

"Rhythian isn't one for something like that. He tricked us… Me, into killing an innocent it's like real game for him. Sam maybe, but by the look of the bullet trails there was more than one attacker, both of similar mental... psychopathy."

They stayed quiet, apart from one person. "But well, we were all here right?" there it was, that inflection at the end of his statement. It was almost as if it was question, but not to ask more to suggest.

"Were we?" Lewis said looking at Trott.

"Well…" Zylush moved forward. "I saw Ross hanging by the door a few times, and he wondered out to talk to me and I didn't really see him go inside again. I sorta... assumed."

"No I didn't." Ross said simply laughing.

"Y-Yes you did." Zylush stepped back.

"And… I saw Alex come outside to ask us about ammunition." Kim said. "I assumed he was just joking,"

"I was quite clearly in Trott's bed bumming him." Smith scoffed. "Come on that's bullshit your trying to put this on me!"

"Guys…" Matt interjected quietly, his body still weak.

"Mate I saw you walk out the door you were gone longer then a conversation!" Martyn jumped in infront of Alex. "I assumed you had gone to help the patrol.

"No I was sleep walking."

"Sleeping walking more like sleep jacking ohhh." Ross laughed over the top.

Lewis pulled out his gun.

"Wait no!" Trott said standing infront of Lewis. "They didn't I know they would never!"

"Trott move out of the way." The others were pulling out their weapons now.

"Guys…" Matt said again.

"That's it you two back off." Hannah said pointing her gun up too, Sips and Zoey behind her.

"What you gunna do huh?" Ross said.

"Guys…" Matt said running towards the door, tripping making everyone turn to face him. Kim rushed over to him helping him stand.

Lewis moved over to him. "What?"

Matt looked at him. "C…4."

Lewis had a second to react before the two Hat Filmers saw their chance and began drawing their weapons and firing on the small group behind, the bullets firing across the wall where Martyn and Zylush stood who fired back but were already being shelled with bullets. Lewis grabbed Matt and Kim and kicked the front door open in the confusion, pushing them out. Hannah had grabbed Ross from the back, pulling her gun against his throat but he was already shacking her off. Alex had gone for Trott jumping through a broken window.

"Hannah!" Lewis called out to her. Sips was trying to get a clear shot of Ross but Hannah was being used as a shield. He cursed loudly and run for the door, passing Lewis who before he could think connected his foot with Ross's knee buckling him to the floor. He pulled a reluctant Hannah off him and almost dragged her to the door.

His foot barely touching the ground before he was lifted off his feet, blinding heat and pain hitting his back shooting him forward across the street and onto the painful black concrete. He felt his body scream with agony, his hand spilt open by grit and his neck singed by fire. He lay on the dark road his ear ringing from one to the other blocking all sense of his surroundings. He propped himself up slowly, finding his arms grazed and one deep cut stretch down his knuckles.

He rolled onto his back slowly and painfully, looking up at the dark sky now being stained with black smog and flames. He came back onto earth as he felt a hand grasp his vest, and he turned to see a blackened and cut faced Hannah pulling herself over to him. He sat up and grabbed her yanking her into his arms holding her tightly his breathing heavy but glad. He had no idea who had died in the gunfight and the explosion, but she was safe at least.

He looked around them, his eyes tingling from the sudden change from blinding heat to freezing cold. He saw a shadow against the flames near what was now a wreckage of the house. He could only see a fading image, going in and out of focus, but the conversation didn't seem to be friendly. The taller figure pulled out a long object, and lunged it straight into the other person sternum.

"Hannah-" Lewis coughed and retched the ash in his mouth blocking his voice. "We... need to move."

He tried to stand up, barely able to keep balance with himself let alone when he help Hannah up and had to pull her along with one arm around him. They hobbled over toward a pile of burning rubble as fast as they could, and soon Lewis's hearing began to return and he began to hear gunshots sound again. Heavy and fast. He moved quicker and soon he saw a figure stagger into his vision, then turn to them an approach. Sips grabbed Hannah's other arm and the double timed over to cover falling down behind it coughing and retching.

"I-I oh god." Sips spluttered. "K-Kim and Matt made it I think. Sjin too and Zoey. They are trying to… ahh find Duncan or anyone."

Lewis soon felt his throat begin to recover, although he craved water he knew he could not find. "Fucking… Hat… Films…" He checked his equipment. He still had his Deagle, at least he had security.

Hannah's soot covered face looked weak but she too had managed to keep her rifle. "Let… Let's fucking find them." She tried to stand but he knee buckled and fell, Lewis catching her but was only really successful in softening the fall.

Lewis now stood up and helped her, but their luck was running at a minimum. The gunfire had stopped, but that was not always a good thing. "Come on." He lead them back out onto the street and move towards the next cover, a broken car a few yards away.

That's then they knew their luck was out.

It started with the battle cry that made Lewis freeze on the spot, his body filling with fear. "EAT SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTT" And then a hailstorm of bullets showered above them. Hannah screamed as they had to move fast and dive behind cover, the flames still burning around them.

Sips ducked next to Lewis, pulling out a pistol and firing back at Ross. Lewis had never seen him so serious and grown up before. "Lewis I hope you have a plan!"

Lewis thought and thought. He checked over his equipment and found nothing, even his ammo was low. Then he realised her could find something he could use. "I got it." He reached with his mind, pulling out a new piece of equipment, which he pulled out of nowhere and placed on the ground next to him.

Sips raised and eyesbrow. "A fucking microwaves? Not the time to get hungry for a grilled cheese."

"It's a health station." He said. "Touch it." He reach his hand out and touch the cold surface of the device. He felt the warm spread from his fingers, up the arm he held against is and the muscles relax and stop feeling warn and tired. Soon it spread over his body and he sighed in relief. "Oh go that's better."

"EAT SHIT EAT SHIT EAT SHIT EAT SHIT!"

"He still going over there?" Sips sighed.

Hannah fell back onto Lewis shoulder readying her gun looked fierce and determined. Just the way he liked it. He heard rushing and yells from their left, and turned to see Sjin and Zoey running towards them returning fire. Lewis called to them. "Get down they have us out gunned with that MG!"

"We can see that!" Sjin cried only armed with a pistol too, and Zoey firing as best she could with a sniper on the move. Bullets flew over them again and they ducked behind another car not too far away. Sjin looked over his face bruised and cut, and angry. "Duncan is dead. Zylush and Martyn too."

"I saw Kim and Matt. They made it out." Sips shouted before returning fire.

The gunfire stopped for a second. "Come out come out or poor little Trotty will get it!" They heard Smith cry followed by and approving laugh from Ross. "Go on little walrus brain sit still!"

"Trott is innocent?" Zoey called.

"It could be another trick." Lewis said.

"Or maybe it's not a trick." Hannah said. "Lewis we have to try and save him."

"They just want us to come out so they can shoot us." Sjin pointed out.

Lewis thought for a second. "What to do then?"

They heard a small click, like rock hitting metal. Lewis turned next to him to see a rolling green rock.

"Grenade." He said simply, then he scrambled up. "Grenade!"

Lewis felt time around him almost slow as he climbed to his feet and began to run following the golden hair. He loved that hair. It would smell of something sweet, he never quite knew what, but whatever it was he loved. He would wake up to it and go to sleep with it. He wouldn't mind this being the last thing he would smell on this earth, or this game. He wondered what happens when you lose. If you go into this sort of limbo of a spectator mode where you just watch your friend die in front of you without feeling sadness or anything. Then again, he already felt that now, didn't he?

He sure felt more hot flames hit his back, more sharp and forceful then the other as he fell to the ground the world returning to full motion as he landed with a thud. He looked up to see something fall in his path ahead, burning wooden longs blocking him from his sweet scent. From Hannah.

He couldn't move. His hand held out reaching for her but she was gone from view. He tried to stand but something snagged his leg, and turning back he saw his leg trapped under a complex pile of wood and mortar. He pulled his leg and tried to get it free but with no luck. He cursed and pulled again until the point of blinding pain, but it was no use.

"Well well well."

Lewis looked up, the grinning ginger face of Alex Smith above him. "Looks like you're a little stuck there mate need a hand?"

"Just kidding we are gonna kill you!" Ross yelled and laughed gripping and rather awkward looking Chris.

"You… guys are just as crazy now as you are playing this game." Lewis almost laughed at the irony.

"Awh don't worry mate! We are only going to blow your head off! You should be used to blowing by now am I right?" Alex chuckled pointing the barrel of his MG to Lewis's head. He was helpless. He couldn't run he was stuck, the end. Limbo here he comes.

"Guys c-come on your not really going to kill him right?" Trott tried to laugh off.

Alex and Ross looked at him. "Trott we are fucking traitors. It's in the job description I am not wasting a C4 and a grenade to only kill 3 people!" Alex scoffed.

"But Smith-"

Alex didn't have time to respond as his chest exploded with crimson and he fell backwards onto the floor. Ross let his grip of Trotimus go as he pulled his gun up but he was to slow as he was met with two explosions of blood from his side and chest as he was blasted with buckshot.

"No!" Chris yelled as his friend lay sprawled over the floor, pools of red forming around them as he covers his face with his hands.

Lewis felt a hand grip his foot and twist it painfully and awkwardly but it was pushed free and was helped to his feet by hand, which he gripped and discovered belonged to Kim, who helped him up. She hugged him once and let go smiling. "Thank god!"

Lewis turned behind him and saw a grim faced Matt, a shotgun in his hands still smoking gently, his eyes still on the two dying men on the floor. Lewis turned back to them.

Smith coughed up a mouthful of blood, his life slowly fading. "Oh… look Ross… Scrotty's crying."

"Of course I am." Trott said gripping Smith's hand. "You guys… you can't leave me!"

"Little hard not to Chris." Ross spluttered. "We... have just been shot. My guts are over there… See?" he laughed point among the destroyed flesh.

"You guys… Are my best friends!" Chris sobbed, gripping each of their shoulders. "I love you guys!"

Ross by now was breathing no more, his body limp and eyes open and gazing to the sky unmoving, but Alex turned to face Trott, his last breath wasted on one of his best friends. "Mate… that's a little bit gay." He laughed. "Not gunna lie." His head rolled, his grip gone from Trott's hand as he died with his friend.

"N-No!" Trott rested his head against Alex's shoulder, tears falling into the blood trails and into the pool below. Lewis just stood there watching, feeling nothing. That nothingness was nothing like Trott was feeling. Chris had all the sadness and sorrow he should feel about losing a friend, a best friend. They were all his best friend. And with each kill he made it got bigger, the void inside him. And he wanted to fill it with something, anything.

"Lewis!"

Lewis turned to the voice. "Simon!"

Simon ran down the road too Lewis and hugged him tightly. "I thought you…" he pulled away, and then looked at the sobbing man over the mangled corpses of his friends, who displayed a red "T" above them now. He covered his mouth observing the death. Lewis turned to Matt who still had the gun in his hands.

"Matt…" Lewis walked over to him. The young man didn't notice, he just couldn't move his eyes from the three on the ground. Lewis placed his hand on the barrel of the shotgun. "You saved my life."

"Saved you?"

Everyone almost jumped in surprise at the tone of Chris's voice. It was low, horse from sobbing and soreness. He rose to his feet slowly, his eyes red and full of tears. Matt just watched him his legs shacking. He was scared.

"You killed them!" He screamed at Matt, spittle flying from his mouth. "You killed my best friends."

"I know." Matt replied quietly.

"Is that it?!" Trott yelled. "You know? You murdered my best friends and all you can say is you know!"

"Trott they were traitors!" Kim retorted. "They were about to kill Lewis, and then you were going to be next!"

"Shut up!" Trott reached behind him and pulled out a pistol, pointing it right at Matt. "You… You…" Matt's eyes widened, his hold of the gun weak and shaky. Lewis was caught between, he had to do something. "You are all the bad guys here! All of you traitors, Aren't you? You killed my best friend sand now I am going to kill-"

Lewis felt his hand buck from the recoil as he fired the gun he pointed at Trott's chest. Blood sprayed from each puncture as Lewis fired 5 times into Trott's chest and arms. He was forced from his feet and onto the floor between his two friends, the gun in his hands falling away from him as he lay side by side with the dead members of Hat Films. Soon to be met with the third. Simon turned to Lewis in shock, Kim stayed back, helping Matt who had dropped to his knee's his face pale.

Trott stayed there for a second, his breathing slow and shallow. Eventually he turned to face his friends in turn before smiling. "Looks like we go down together… lads." Lewis stepped towards Trott slowly, his gun still in his hand. Trott watched him approach and smiled.

"You know… I am kinda glad." He said quietly. "I didn't think I could live without them anyway for long. After... you spend so many years with them…. They become brothers. And they are… brothers to…" Trott coughed harshly his gunshot wounds gushing blood. He hadn't much longer. Trott looked at Lewis. "This game… It's not right…"

"I'm sorry Chris." Lewis said sinking down to meet him.

"No." the man replied back. "I can... I can play that one last game with them now. Whoever understand what happens after death first… wins. And I am behind them." He laughed. "You have to finish this game to Lewis. You can lose the game… but don't lose sight of yourself in it."

Lewis watched the last of the big three perish. The blood pool reaching over the bottom of his feet by now as the three lay side by side, almost peacefully. Lewis stood back up, expecting to feel nothing again, just like last time and the time before. And he was right. Nothing. Empty of emotion and thought. The words Trott left behind revolved in his head. Maybe he had already lost himself in this game.

He felt a hand grip his forearm and turn him round to see a teary faced Simon, soot covering his eyebrows and bearded face. He had always known when Lewis needed him, always there for him. He pulled him into an embrace and held him there for what seemed like forever. Hours, days, weeks felt like they went past as his best friend held him in a hug. He held him back, finding his hug get tighter the more he had more time to actually feel something for the first time in forever.

He felt scared.

And from that one emotion more came to light. Anger, anxiousness. He felt them all pouring out of the empty hole that had filled him for so long. All the things he left unprocessed because of the constant running and hiding and killing now run thought the conveyer belt of his mind, until finally he felt it. The emptiness. Why he felt it. Now he understood.

It was empty because that was the emotions he felt towards his friends. And once they were gone, nothing was left to fill that space. He was lost inside without them.

"I can't." He whispered to him. "I can't lose anymore of you…"

"Lewis… You have to." Simon said, his voice like his, broken from tears. "You can't let them hurt anyone else. You know they would never have wanted to hurt any of them. And you need to help them."

"But what if dying here really means we can't go back."

"Then we have to make sure as many of us don't." He said simply to him. He knew he was right, but that meant accepting that he had to kill at least two more of his friends. He nudged him gently. "I can help you if you want."

He pulled away gently. "No. I don't want you to feel the same way I do." He looked at Matt, who must be feeling the emptiness begin to settle, and Kim looking helpless as she tried to comfort him Finally, his eyes focused on Simon who looked almost as scared as him. His best friend shouldn't feel like that. "None of you deserve to feel this." He closed his eyes. He knew what he had to do.

'Rhythian.'

'I'm guessing this is your "Hurt her and I will hunt you down' speech?' The voice replied. 'Well guess what. It's not going to work buddy.'

'No one else has to die. Just you and Sam. Listen to yourselves! You would never want to hurt any of us!'

He heard the cold laugh reverberate in his head again. 'Oh that's where you wrong Lewis.'

Lewis whipped around as the sound of gunshots echoed in the distance.

'Very, very wrong.'

Lewis grabbed Simon and looked at Kim's shocked face. Matt was still on the ground unfazed by the gunshot. She looked at him and waved her hand away. "Go! I got him." Lewis nodded and grabbed Matt's shotgun from the ground and handed it to her. She nodded and took it and they sprinted down the road in the direction of the shots.

Simon fell behind slightly but he made no indication of stopping, so Lewis ran on. The flames from the explosion still burned around them spreading to buildings over that were wounded with holes and scorch marks. So that can damage them but fists can't?

One more gunshot sounded on the other side of a side street to Lewis's left. Faces raced in his mind as he cornered it. The first person in his mind he hoped to god was not on the other end of that bullet. Hannah.

He came out into an open car park with his gun raised, which was meaningless. Two bodies lay on the floor near the centre, one against a car the other face down. Lewis saw no other presence, so he moved closer. Then he lost his breath.

"Sips! Sjin!" He ran towards the two unmoving friends and feel next to the bald head of the older man. He turned him over, the handsome face covered in scratches, a bullet in the centre between his eyes. He dropped him gently his heart aching. Another gone.

"Le-lewis."

He whipped around and crawled over Sjin who was propped against the shell of a car. Lewis tore at his khaki's, ripping cloth free and placing it against the wound on Sjin's leg. "You are gunna be okay! Alright Sjin?"

He turned back to Sjin, who was breathing shallow. Just like Trott did. A slow death but almost over. Sjin coughed and looked at Sips. "Glorious bastard gave it all he got. Was never a good shot." He smiled and closed his eyes, resting his chin against his chest.

"Lewis… Hannah she…" Lewis felt his heart drop onto his gut. His eyes turned to a blood trail that led away from the car park, almost like they dragged a person away.

He needed more answers. He grabbed Paul and shock him vigorously. "Sjin? Sjin, Sjin!" But it was too late. Another gone. That's two more friends gone since he promised no more. He failed. Again and again he made promises of no more friends and then they broke instantly. And now Hannah was being used to draw him out, he knew it. And he knew he would fall for it because he would make another promise in his head to protect her and everyone left but he was tired.

He stood up, and finally Simon came into the parking lot, stopping at Lewis and looking at Sips and Sjin. "Ohh… God no why are they all dying so fast!"

"They took Hannah." Lewis said hardly listening.

"Well we have to save her!" Simon pulled him along following the trail of blood.

"I know." He said, half of his body given up the other half almost fallen into madness.

"Lewis you can have more time to plan this out while we save her let's go! You're the detective, you're the leader of the Ye Olde Guild. So led damn it!"

Lewis blinked. This was a side to Simon he had never seen. He looked at Lewis with the more serious expression he had ever pulled. Lewis didn't know why, but he grinned. Simon still believed in him, and he was edging him on somehow. He took comfort in that. He nodded. "Let's go."

They exited the car park and found themselves in a very familiar place, and not just because every street looked the same. He was sure this was the first street he had stepped out on with Hannah at the beginning of all this. Only now had they done a full circle. Lewis pulled out his pistol and clutched it in both hands. He counted the shots. He had three left. That was enough.

They slowed to a walk, checking the rooftop for Rhythian and his sniper. Lewis kept his gun low, his body straining to keep going already. He was tired, so tired. His lungs burned from the constant terror and running. He was sick, maybe low on health? He didn't care he was sick of this game. So tired her barely noticed a battle cry scream at him from an alley to his left.

Lewis was too slow. The blinding pain from the right flashed his eyes white as he slumped onto one knee the world spinning around him. Spots flashed in front of him as he tried to stand but only managed to fall on his ass, looking behind him to see Strippin in front of Simon, a long blade in his hand as Simon held a shacking rifle up. Lewis tried to call out for Simon not to shot, not to feel the same emptiness he felt, but he heard the bullet sound.

And nothing.

Sam stood there, not even phased by the bullet that had completely missed him. Simon had dropped the gun in surprise and shock of the recoil, fumbling it before it dropped to the floor. Sam held his belly as he began to laugh. Lewis's body began to function as he spoke.

"Oh, oh god oh that was hilarious." He keeled over laughing and coughing gently, then suddenly stopped. "Serious why did you do that?" Lewis managed to fall onto his hands to help himself up but he as he tried the pain returned as a boot connected with his belly sending the wind from him. He caught himself again and tasted metal in his mouth as he spat blood, turning his head to see his Deagle on the ground to his left.

Lewis looked up to smiling Sam, his knife raised over him. But he was caught of guard with a blow with the butt of Simon's gun making him stumble. Strippin stood up his face red with anger. "Oi mate what the bloody hell was-"

Lewis rolled to his left, his hands grabbing the gun and bringing it up to Sam, aiming as best he could and pulling the trigger, but the momentum of the roll forced his aim away, and the bullet clipped his shoulder. He yelled in pain his hand clutching the wound as the blood seeped out. Lewis pushed himself to his feet but Sam was already upon him. He grabbed the gun in Lewis's hands and pulled it away from him, moving his head in to headbutt but Lewis pulled his head away and spun as they struggled for control of the gun. Stripping then moved one hand away to raise the knife but Lewis grabbed that hand too.

"Simon help!" Lewis called out, focusing on trying to keep the gun and the knife away from him.

"I can't get a… fucking…" His friend called from behind, but Lewis had no clue what was going on. He gritted against his teeth Strippin's strength greater than his own and he knew it. Sam grinned. "You can't win Lewis! We all know who can win in an arm wrestle out of us two!" He was right and Lewis knew it. Sam had the muscle. He felt the pressure on the knife hand increase and Lewis couldn't hold it back. His grip left and the knife moved straight into his side.

Being stabbed by a knife is like getting injected with a needle, but a thousand times more awkward and painful. You feel it go in, first press your skin in the slice into it like bread and you feel the flesh cut apart and the pain shoot though your body. All this take place in seconds, a second you feel it go in, and then the next second the pain hits. And when the pain his Lewis could only cry out as it drove deeper into his sides, but he had more sense than to let it drive in more.

His body flinched and spun so Sam's hand that held the knife was pulled away and he left go as Lewis kicked up his foot behind him and pushed the off guard Strippin against the wall. Lewis turned back, his hand now in control of the gun as this time when he fired to bullet fired straight into Sam's temple. He went limp, and dropped to his knees then fell face first onto the paving. Dead. Another friend dead.

Lewis lowered his gun and moved his hands to his side that was cut by the knife. It was still lodged in his kidney area, and he held his hands to his face observing the thick red blood. His blood this time, no one else's.

"Lewis!" Simon ran over and helped him stay standing. "Oh no that looks… that looks bad."

"I will be okay…" He replied, gripping the knife's handle. He had to pull it out, he knew it. He bit his lip as he pulled gently and the pain shot against. Like a thousand needles burst from the knife and shot around his body. He cried out but he slowly began to dislodge it, the bleeding increasing the more he pulled it out. Eventually it reached the end of its depth and it was yanked free and Lewis threw it to the floor gripping the stab wound in his side sucking in lungful's of painful air.

"C-can you move?"

Lewis tested his feet and felt the pressure on his muscles send pain through the wound, but it was bearable by any standard. He couldn't stop now. He nodded to Simon. He looked over at Strippin, as dead as a doorknob. Strippin was a good guy, at least in the real world. Loyal. Maybe that's why he was such a good traitor. He never ran, and stayed with it to the end. Lewis respected his guts. He needed it.

The thing that flowed through his mind as they walked was her face. He had fallen in love with her pretty quickly, or what seemed quick to him. Four years could really drown the clocks out, but he loved every minute of it. His job was what he always wanted and more, and what's more she helped him all along the way along with Simon and the rest of his friends. He couldn't not love her.

But something gnawed at his mind.

Lewis stopped at the end of the street, his eyes glancing up at the building he knew was the same one he woke up what seemed like only hours ago, yet could have also been days. Things had a funny way of turning full circle. He almost took some relief from that. Maybe they had hope left.

"Simon, I'm going in."

"Lewis wait." Simon grabbed him, his face strained and tired and sad. "You… You know he is only going to kill you."

"He is the last traitor. It will be stand off until one of us wins." He held his Deagle to his face, his face blank as his emotions. "At least there will be a winner soon."

Simon let go of him, looking away. "You know… He might not be the last."

"What makes you say that?"

"It's too easy." Simon said with a worried look. "If something is this easy someone is bound to be lying Lewis. And you're the only one I trust to find them."

Lewis was stunned. He had never seen Simon so serious. He missed the joking, the laughing the smiling. He was the person who deserved this the least. Simon was caring and loving, he didn't deserve to say any of those things. "Simon I-"

Lewis was pushed into the building by his best friend. "Go get Hannah back Lewis!" The Detective nodded and ran up the staircase, his gun held in front of him ready to fire. He had never felt so calm yet so paranoid at the same time. His hands were still, by now he could fire it as easy as he could make cereal in the morning, but his body felt like whatever he was going to encounter, things would end one way or the other. And both seemed bad.

He stepped a foot on the second staircase, upwards to the room he woke up in. He heard noises behind the door. Pained screams and yelling through gritted teeth. "He will be hear soon stop moving god! Sweatier the DOTA."

Lewis stomach turned in his body. He couldn't do this, he didn't want to. But he had to, to save her. Simon's voice rocked in his mind. He was right. He always was. He crept up against the wall the door stood, sliding along slowly until he could rest his foot against it his bleeding side starting to burn like the sun. This was it. Final showdown. End game. Last level.

He slowly stretched his hand to the door handle, watching it glide calmly as if nothing was wrong. Lewis touched the door handle and the door began to open on something he would either dreed or would soon enough. Time rushed back to him as he pushed into the room his gun raised.

"Lewis!"

Hannah was held on her knee's, blood spilling down one leg, soot still clinging to her face and golden hair, and a gun aimed at the back of her head. Rhythian was crouched behind her, a smile over his handsome face. "Good evening Xephos."

"Rhythian what's the point?" Lewis asked him. "You're the last one. Give up. One of us will shoot you anyway."

"Oh but Lewis. See here is the beauty of this particular game." He said crudely. "We feel pain. And do you how it feels inflicting it? It feels…. Well pretty boring. But for you it tears your very being. Rips out your heart and pyro-bomb's it. And that seems to be a lot of fun."

"It can't be fun killing your friends!"

"Oh see, it really is." He laughed. "You wouldn't know that. See, you wouldn't know, but this red inside of us isn't that bad. So we have a rebellious side, who doesn't? Face it Lewis. I think you lost here. Even if I die, you're still the looser. You couldn't save them."

"You're my friend Rhythian." Lewis pleaded his gun still half pointed at Rhythian, but Hannah was the shield. "Surely this game hasn't taken that fact away."

"Of course not!" The Swede scoffed. "But it doesn't matter. I have… Kind of like a duty to kill you, so I will be doing that." He pulled up and Lewis pulled his body to the side as Rhythian fired his shotgun. Lewis felt his back spilt from the back as the bullet graved his skin and he cried out but didn't lose focus. He turned to point up his gun but he was tackled from the waist and slammed against the wall, his grip on the Deagle lost as it fell to the floor across the room. Hannah made contact with Lewis's eyes for a second before he was forced to the floor.

Punches began to throw themselves from all directions into Lewis's arms and face. He tried deflecting them but they were unrelenting and fast. He threw some of his own, a few making contact with the man on top of him while others missed. He managed to his ear, his jaw and Adam's apple, the latter doing the most to cause pain to the traitor above him but it was not enough. He felt his strength waning, his body grow tired, tired of fighting back against the inevitable.

But nothing is inevitable.

He heard a gunshot. The body above him slumped for a second, the face of the Swede turning surprised as he fell to the floor next to him. Lewis stayed on the ground for a second, his breathing heavy and his body burning with pain. He felt his lip swollen and his nose cut above the bridge, but he was alive.

He rolled over to his side, a smile over his face. He was saved. Saved by someone he knew would come through for him in the end. He loved them after all.

"T-thank you Han-" Lewis stopped. He stood up and dusted himself off, only to look up and fined his ordeal not over with. Hannah stood crumpled on one knee, a shaking shotgun in her hands pointing to a figure in the door, also holding a gun. Simon looked shocked and confused. "H-hannah what are you doing?"

"Lewis don't move closer to him." She said, her face strained. Simon hadn't even raised his gun.

"Hannah what are you-"

"Look!" She yelled at him. "The game hasn't ended Lewis! There is one more traitor and I know who it is. It's him!" She grasped the shotgun tightly. "I overheard Rhythian and he muttered it I know I know!"

Lewis turned to Simon, standing in the door shaking in fear. He clearly had no idea what was going on. "Hannah it can't be!" Lewis remembered how Simon had tried to fight of Strippin but was overcome. And just now, he was saved. But by who? No way could it be him.

"Lewis I swear it's not me!" Simon cried. "I-I just saved your life!"

"Bullshit!" Hannah cried out. "I just saved Lewis! Lewis he is lying he is the traitor."

Lewis stood between. Between the rock, his love holding a shotgun, and a hard place, his best friend who wouldn't hurt a fly. They both held a gun, one held by their side the other pointed at the others face. One had been by his side at the start, the other towards the end. And now they both rivalled. Lewis's mind began assessing everything that happened, trying to find a pull, but he stopped himself.

"Guy's I…" He felt his hand shake, his eyes glance his pistol that lay on the floor between them. "I can't pick between you… This game its broken our mind, our bodies! I have been lost, shot at, broken, repairs and torn down again and now… Now you want me to betray the other."

"Lewis you have to!" Hannah pleaded, her voice desperate. He looked at her, her eyes fearful and pained, but they shone with something, at least he thought. He stopped, his body turning to her.

"Why don't you shoot him?"

She looked at him. "Wa-what?"

"If you insist he is a traitor." Lewis said, walking closer to the no-man's land between them. "Then why don't you shoot him Hannah?"

"Lewis I…" She said her voice leaving her. "What are you doing?"

"It's what you are doing Hannah. Not once… not once do I remember you defending us while we were being shot at, trying to convince us and give us good ideas. All the times our friends were dying round us… not one did I see you shed a single tear."

Hannah lowered her stance with the gun, her eyes now finally beginning to shed tears, real or fake he wasn't sure. "Lewis n-no please you can't you have to believe me."

"Can I, Hannah? Can I believe you while the whole time I was suffering inside all you did was smile and look sorry for me? Maybe because you can't feel it, the emptiness I create for myself. Because you, inside, turned red."

"Lewis you can't you can't!" She got down onto her knees. "I love you Lewis."

"I love you." He said simply, his gun raising. "I'm sorry."

He repeated the words. Words he meant a thousand times over in his heart and in his head but none of it made it easier to pull the trigger. He did love her. He still did even though he was convinced she was against him. But he couldn't. He was weak, his insides already boiling with the gap she would leave if she left him. He couldn't, he shouldn't.

He didn't.

A gunshot sounded around the room, but not from his gun.

Hannah stopped shaking and whaling and just looked at Lewis as the blood trickled down her forehead and fell off the tip of her nose onto the floor. She met the small puddle and lay there, gone of all movement and emotion. Lewis stood above her, looking at the gun in his hand that… Did not fire.

"Simon…?"

The smiling figure of his friend stepped around him in slow motion, the rifle in his hands the tip still smoking from the shot he fired at the girl Lewis loved. Neither of them said anything for a moment as Lewis just looked at his smiling partner, the gun in his hands now pointing towards Lewis as Lewis gazed down at his dead girlfriend.

"You…."

Simon chuckled his eyes focused on Lewis who felt his whole body start to give in. "Oh Lewis you're so bad at this game! Well I mean I am not the best but at least I won."

Lewis could have easily raised his gun and killed Simon right there, but his mind was already covered in dark cloud of madness. He finally fell backwards onto the floor, his gun falling from his hand, his eyes looking at his cold, dead girlfriend. "Oh god oh god what have I done!"

"Well you didn't do anything really you just sort of… failed at being a detective." Simon giggled again.

Lewis couldn't get it. "But you-you were there. By my side this whole time how…"

"I didn't want to get killed like the others. They were too quick on the trigger, plus I didn't really have much to use. Untill you gave me this." He gestured the gun. "And even then I needed to wait for the right moment, wait for the others to pick you off one by one and then clean up if I needed to. Martyn, Zoey. They never saw me coming."

Lewis ran his hand across his face his whole insides being swallowed away. "You… You helped me. You… You tried to defend me against Strippin."

"Oh yeah that was painful." Simon shrugged. "He hit me a little harder then I asked him to."

"But." Lewis said his throat betraying him like everything else, his arms trembling with anger. "Why?"

"To drive you insane Lewis." Simon said all the laughter in his voice gone in an instant. "To drive you to the edge of going bonkers and then push you. Make you betray the person you love and all those you consider family. It was a whole lot of fun really."

Lewis felt his insides being sucked into the black whole of emptiness. All this, all this and his best friend betrays him. "You… You're not Simon…"

"Oh see that's why it's funny Lewis! I am Simon. Your still my friend, I still look back on those days playing WoW and I laugh at the worst videos we ever made. I love you Lewis. But I am what I am now."

"Simon you… You can't you."

Lewis stopped. His mouth half open as he felt nothing. Nothing at all. He didn't feel the gunshot hit his eardrums as his eyes caught the last moment of him falling to the floor. Blotches of red covered his vision for a second and then he was gone, his body dead on the floor his arms flung out to his sides, a single crevasse in his forehead.

He was gone. His best friend had murdered him.

And now he was nothing.

Yet he could see himself laying on the floor, his tweed hat crushed by his heavy head as Simon stood over him, his face frowning as he lowered the smoking gun and wiping his brow. "Well that's over with." Lewis felt himself float alongside Simon, his vision constant on him as the ginger man descended the stairs with a triumphant smirk across his face. Lewis felt no hate towards him, no sorrow. Nothing.

He just watched. And watched in what he could only recognise as Spectator. He watched with no emotion as he didn't force himself away from this after life, he didn't want to nor did he think he could. He would only watch more horror take place.

Simon walked back towards the still smoking bombsite of the house. Kim was outside still tending to Matt with little more than quiet words and kindly affectionate smiles. As the traitor got closer his expression turned to one of tired smile and panting breath as he called out to them. "Hey Kim Kiiiim!"

She took the bait. "Simon! Where is Lewis?"

"We took care of things. The game is over." He said smiling towards her as she got up to approach him her arms held wide. Lewis felt no cry of protest ring out from him as Simon pulled up his gun and fired thrice into Kim's chest sending her into a bloody pile on the floor. "For you."

Matt was startled, trying to crawl away backwards on his hands and knees but unable to stand out of sheer shock and panic. Simon just strolled over to him casually laughing his once cheerful laugh again, but now behind it was a faint loss of character, of evil.

"Aww Fyre don't run come on." Simon said annoyed. "You and I both know you have no hope."

"I don't want you to kill me!" Matt called back, turning his head to see the shotgun he dropped earlier and standing to his feet to get it, but it was too late. Simon caught him and held the gun against his back. Matt froze, his face turning pale as he raised his hands to the sky in surrender.

"Matty, you lasted this long." Simon said his voice small and quiet. "Longer then even Lewis did. And I am the last traitor. Just you and me. I don't think a lot of people predicted that, I certainly didn't. But what I did predict his what you now feel after killing Hat Films."

Matt looked at him. "What do you know about how I feel?"

"Lewis felt it to. The guilt that makes your inside as dead as doorknobs? Yeah that's because, unlike me, you still have those emotions in place. Which for a terrorist is rather ironic."

Matt looked at him perplexed, gulping down a lump in his throat. "Maybe I do… Maybe. Maybe I don't want to even try and just let you win."

Simon smiled. "With pleasure."

Matt turned to face him, tears falling down from his face onto the black stone below. He opened his mouth, his voice shaking as he uttered the last two words.

"GG"

"Wah help help Lewis I'm blind!"

"Take off the damn rift Simon."

"Ahhhh oh right. Oh gosh I feel sick."

"Yeah makes you're a bit motion sick doesn't it?"

"Oh well that was good I think that was a very successful game."

"Yeah because you won!"

"Yeah well I did, didn't I hahah."

"Well then um, join next time for more of Simon owning us noobs at Gmod then. Byeeee"

"Byeeee. Oh man that looked so real I could almost think its memory."