Chapter 10

(Well, you know the drill…please r+r! Interesting to see the diverse range of opinions of Tab's guilt or lack of it. All will be revealed…sooner or later…)

The streets had darkened as Botan dragged Gum along the pavement.

"I don't…see why I need…need to see him," she gasped. They'd been running like this ever since they'd left the garage, and her lungs were starting to complain.

"Tough. He needs to see you."

"Is he…is he fully conscious and all?"

"Not totally. Tired, woozy you might say, but he awakes and eats and stuff like that."

"I don't…I don't want to see him…I hate him…"

"Stop deluding yourself, Gen."

"None…none of the others came."

"So you should. As far as he knows, you're his girl."

"I'm not…" She wanted to shout it, but the dashing was robbing her of enough breath.

They reached Shibuya General and Botan dragged her up the steps.

"You can let go of me now," Gum said as they reached the waiting room.

"Nuh-uh. Sorry, cuz, but I don't trust you an inch. We're gonna see Tab whether you like it or not."

Gum glowered as he led her towards the lift.

"You didn't ask whether we could see him or not," she said as they stepped inside.

"That's because I was there when he woke. Doc told me to go find you. As his grieving sister, we knew you'd be overcome with joy."

Gum scowled at him.

"Now listen," Botan said. "I heard two other GGs talking. Beat and Garam, I think it was. They said if he did come out of his coma…well, what d'you think they'd do?"

"Tag him ten times and kick him out the GGs."

"Wrong. First they tag him ten times. Then they kick him out the GGs. Then they give Onishima a call."

"What?" Gum just managed to keep her voice down from a yell.

"He's a murderer, ain't he? Onishima would love getting a rudie for more than just vandalism. Tab'd go to jail for a large portion of his life, the GGs would be safe from the axe murderer, and you'd be all right, because he couldn't come near you."

Gum looked down at her skates. She suddenly felt very cold.

"Cube and Slate wanted to do that to you," Botan said. "After they'd smashed your skull. I can see why Slate hates you, he still holds a torch for Mew. But why Cube?"

"She's pissed I fooled her," Gum said, sentences forming on autopilot. "That she stuck up for a guilty person. I guess."

The lift stopped. They walked out into the corridor.

Botan shrugged. "Well, that's the latest GG news."

"They – they would have sent me to jail?" Gum said, voice shaking.

"Yep. If Tab hadn't spoken up for you, I bet you'd have been in there right now."

"Now you're just laying on the guilt."

"Of course."

They were nearly there now. Gum wanted to turn and run. What if he'd heard what she'd screamed at him? What if he was guilty? What if he got sent to jail? What if he didn't like her any more? The questions rattled around in her head, stinging her skull.

And then they'd got there.

Tab was sitting up, reading a dull-looking magazine. He looked perfectly normal, she'd seen him read things millions of time, but now she wanted to cheer and clap and cry all at the same time, because he wasn't lying there dying, he was safe, he was alive…

But she hated him, right?

"Tab?" she whispered.

"I'll go…uhh…rob a vending machine or something," Botan said. "Now don't kill him."

Tab glanced up, and grinned as he saw her. "Hey, Gum, what happened?"

He sounded tired, weak, but cheerful – alive at last –

She wanted to go close to him, but something held her back.

"When?" she said at last.

"The last thing I knew, we were dozing off together after the best night of my life…and then I wake up here. Spill the beans."

"Someone chopped you over the head with an axe."

"Okaaay…" Tab leant back, closed his eyes a moment. "Someone tried to kill me. Any thoughts on who?"

"Well, you killed Mew." Gum heard her voice turn spiteful. "A lot of people didn't like that."

"What?" Tab yelled. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You killed her! I heard you say so!"

"Uh – when?"

"When you were in this coma. You said, 'Gum, I sorted it out for you…I tried to help…it was so obvious…' Something like that."

"And you take that to assume I'm a murderer?"

"The doctor said you said you did it!"

"I didn't. I did not do it." He'd gone pale. "I didn't."

"Well, Beat thinks you did. He heard you say so. He and Garam say they'll have you arrested if you wake up."

"Hearing all this I think I'd like to go back to sleep," Tab groaned. "You're kidding, right?"

"I don't joke about stuff like this."

"Look, I think I know who did it, and it wasn't me."

"Well, who was it then?"

"It was…" Tab stopped. "I won't say now…too many accusations…go find Cube, okay?"

"Why? She still thinks it was me."

"If the killer is who I think it is, she's in real danger."

"What?" Gum stared at Tab, her stomach freezing. "But…she had a big fight with Combo…she's gone back to the garage on her own…"

"Where did she have the fight? And where were you told that?"

"In the house. Why?"

"Shit!" Tab punched the mattress. "Look, the house has a basement, doesn't it."

"How did you –"

"Those chimneys act as…you know…echo chambers…you must have noticed when you were up in your room you could hear what the guys were saying downstairs."

"Yeah – you mean – someone's been eavesdropping on everything?"

"Give the girl a prize. Listen. Go find Cube. Ask her about Mew, make her tell you everything. And if she won't, mention that you know about The Classy Lassy Hi-Jinx Babe Emporium."

"What?"

"Just do it!" Tab snapped. "I read it in a letter. She's in danger. If you can't get her to believe that, at least get her to come back to the house where she'll be with other people."

"All right." Baffled, she stood up.

"And Gum –" Tab looked up at her. "Whatever you do, be careful."

It was late now.

Gum ran through the darkened streets, mind humming as she tried to work out what was going on. Cube was in danger. But why? Who would want to kill her? The only person who had a real difference of opinion with her was Tab, and he was at the hospital.

And Combo, of course. And Garam and Piranha. But surely none of them would murder Cube. And anyway, Tab hadn't known what had happened between Cube and Combo. He'd been talking about something else. And someone else.

She skated through the puddles, black water flying out around her feet.

Of course, he could be wrong. He could have jumped to conclusions. Or maybe the situation had changed while he'd been in his coma.

Then why was she hurrying?

There it was. The garage loomed up in front of her, looking bigger now than when she'd left it. Bigger and darker.

She felt spots of rain start to patter onto her skin. Thunder growled above her.

She walked up to the garage, and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" a voice called from within.

"Gum."

"What do you want?"

"Can I come in? There's something I need to tell you."

She waited, then the door opened, and Cube faced her.

The Gothic GG's eyes were red-rimmed. Gum swallowed. Cube hardly ever cried.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Well, what do you think?" Cube snapped. "I just told my oldest friend he's – he's – something I thought I'd never say. I feel like shit. He and Garam and Piranha are never gonna speak to me again."

Gum followed her back inside. There were no lights on inside, but she had a feeling the water had gone down a little.

"Listen," she said. "Tab's come out of his coma. And he thinks you're in danger."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"He said to ask you about Mew. He said you knew something you're not telling us."

Cube's face whitened. Her patches of bare skin were all that could be seen in the night.

"I don't know what he's on, but he's wrong," she said. "There's nothing to tell."

"Really?" Gum let a 'liar' tone enter her voice.

"Yes, really!"

"Then I suppose the –" She hoped she could remember it. "Classy Lassy High-Jinx Babe Emporium means nothing to you."

She heard Cube gasp, "How the hell did you –"

Then she stopped.

"Just spill." Gum tried to remain calm. "Who's the killer?"

"I don't know!" Cube yelled. "But it wasn't me!"

Gum grabbed her shoulders. "What's the story?"

"There isn't one! I haven't done anything! I haven't –"

She stopped.

"What is it?" Gum asked. "Suddenly realised you have?"

Cube was staring over Gum's shoulder, squinting slightly –

Then her face crystallised into horror.

"Cube, what –"

Cube wrenched herself away from Gum's arms, turned to run – then part of the shadows around them seemed to form a figure, an axe flew up, the flat of it came down on Cube's head – the GG dropped like a stone.

Gum wanted to scream, but she couldn't move.

"You're the killer," she whispered to the figure behind her.

"I guess so."

She turned.

(And that appears to be the end of the chapter. Heh, heh, heh…tune in next week for the conclusion! The more reviews, the quicker that will be! Pleeease put in your reviews who you think the killer is, I really want to see whether I've been too obvious or anything. I'd really appreciate it!)