Finding Rachel.
After the intense confrontation with Nathan, that almost ended with Iris killing him, the three girls drive up to the beach where Frank's RV is parked. Iris had not said a single word during the whole trip there, still shaken up by what she almost did. She understood now, better than ever, why her father and brother refused to let her join the crowns guard or anything involving death. Once you take a life, there is no going back, not even Max's powers would change that fact. Iris would never going to take her family's words for granted.
"God... I hate seeing those poor whales like that" Max said in a sad tone as she saw the beached whales.
"Me too. I just think of their families out there in the ocean looking for them. Well, that asshole is gonna help us find Rachel" Chloe said as she held up her gun.
"Or what? You'll actually shoot him? Chloe, do not count on my rewind... seriously" Max all but begged.
"Obviously I'm not counting on you. That's why I have a gun. And I might even save you someday" Chloe said.
"About time" Max said.
"I am so going to hit you. There's no way we could have guessed this is what would happen to us when we grew up" Chloe said.
Max nods "I'm looking forward to the day when we can just go on a road trip to Portland".
Chloe smiled at that "Fuck yeah. You, me, Iris... and Rachel".
"Absolutely. So, let's play this cool, okay? Just talk to Frank so we can get that code for the book from him. That's all" Max ordered.
"Got it. No dicking around" Chloe agreed.
"Let's roll" Max said as she and Chloe where about to get out of the car. Only to notice Iris wasn't moving.
"You coming sis?" Chloe asked.
Iris snapped out of her trance before looking down "I... would like to stay behind this time... if that's OK...".
Max and Chloe shared a worried look before Max spoke "Are you... still shaken up about what happened?".
"Of course I am! I almost killed someone, Max! I almost strangled him to death..." Iris said, making it clear how much it effected her.
"But you didn't" Max reminded.
"Only because you and Warren stopped me! I'm sorry, but I just need some time for myself... I need to think" Iris said, looking ready to cry.
Chloe rubbed her back "Take all the time you need Iris. We will be back soon".
"Thank you..." Iris said weakly.
With that, Max and Chloe left her alone while they went to speak with Frank. After they left, Iris took a deep breath to calm herself. She focused on what made her happy. She remembered all the time she spent with her brother when they were younger. The rare but memorible moments with her father. How she was taught self defense, how she met Noctis, her road trips with the gang. So many good memories, so many great moments... moments she would never have anymore. Suddenly Iris couldn't hold it in, she covered her eyes and began to sob... then she began crying. As she cried, Max and Chloe came back, and both noticed right away what was going on. Which sent their protective side in to overdrive
Chloe opened the door and pulled Iris in to a hug "Iris! Iris what's wrong?!".
Iris sobbed without control "Father... brother... I wanted... I couldn't... they are...".
She couldn't finish as she broke down even more, forcing Chloe to hold her closer. Max hugged her from the other side. Non of them said a word, they just let Iris cry, she needed it. And in the end, Iris ended up falling asleep due to both physical and mental exhaustion.
A while later, Iris woke up and noticed she was on Chloe's bed. She didn't even realize she had fallen asleep. She yawns as she sat up, rubbing her face. The bed's owner noticed this, along with Max.
"Iris! You alright?" Chloe asked.
"I think so... did I really fall asleep?" Iris asked.
"You did, had us worried for second. We didn't want to wake you up so Chloe just carried you inside. You really looked like you could use the nap" Max said as she sat next to Iris "But what you said is what got us. Where you thinking about your family?".
Iris nodded "I thought I moved on. But the thought that I will never see them again still hurts a lot".
"I know the feeling. But you are not alone in this, Iris. You got us. Remember?" Chloe said as she took Iris' hands.
Iris smiled at her "I know. Thank you sis. I will help you find Rachel and then I will stay with you both for the rest of my life".
"What about your girlfriend?" Chloe asked with a wink.
"I hope I can convince her to come with us. Failing that, I will try to stay in touch with her" Iris answered.
"Another thing for our future plan list. Well, we and Max got a lead. If you are feeling up to it" Chloe said.
Iris pulled her boots on "I am now. Let's do it".
Chloe and Max smiled as all three of them headed out to follow the lead.
It turned out the lead was an old barn. It kind of made sense. It looked like a good place to hide things in. Chloe drives her truck up a dirt path, passing a sign that reads "NO TRESPASSING." She pulls up to the barn and parks. The girls get out of the truck and approach the barn.
"Holy shit, this is scary" Max commented.
"I know, but we're here. Let's go find the best way in" Chloe said as they head up to the barn.
Max bends down to examine tire tracks "Whoa, check this out. Fresh tire tracks".
"Dude, somebody was just here" Chloe said.
"Meaning they must be hiding things in there" Iris added.
"Then we need to get in that barn..." Max finished as she goes around to the side of the barn and moves a metal sheet, revealing another entrance "Chloe, Iris! I found the front door! Come on!".
Chloe and Iris hurries around "Oh yes! Maximus rules!".
They head inside and looks around. The barn sure was a creepy old spot, something Max had to comment on "God, this is way too Blair Witch... I have goose bumps all over".
"Blair Witch?" Iris asked.
"Later. Come on, Super Max. Hey, check out this old chest!" Chloe said as she opened a chest, making a lot of noice.
"A little louder, Chloe! Jeez, that is ancient" Max said.
"Jackpot. Old shit" Chloe said, disappointed.
"No, look closer" Max said.
Chloe does as told "Harry Aaron Prescott and family donate new library to Arcadia Bay... Prescott Industries celebrate grand opening... The Prescotts bring bomb shelter boom to town".
"A bomb shelter?" Iris asked.
"No clue what it's about" Chloe said.
"Nice scrapbook. You search for more clues and I'll scope out the area" Max said.
"I'll help" Iris said as she looked around. After she and Max search the ground of the barn, Iris felt something. Making her remove the dirt and found a hatch "Max! Check this out!".
Max runs over and noticed the hatch "Whoa, what is this? It's totally brand new. Why?".
"I am certain the answers we look for are inside. We need to get this open" Iris said as she grabbed the lock.
"Hey, easy there, you are gonna hurt-" Before Max could finish, Iris ripped the lock clean of, making Max blink "Just how strong are you?".
"Adrenaline rush. Chloe, come help with this!" Iris called out.
Chloe hurried over and all three girls helped opening the hatch, revealing a staircase "What... is this?".
"Jackpot" Max said as they head down "Do I even need to say how weird this is?".
"You just did. Who builds this kind of place?" Chloe asked.
"A Prescott, of course" Max answered.
"But this is a bomb shelter. Has there been a war here before?" Iris asked.
"Not for a very long time. Meaning this shelter was not built to protect people against bombs" Chloe answered.
"It's being used to hide something" Max added.
Iris nodded in agreement. If this place was not built to be a shelter, then it must be a hiding place. They continue on until they reach a large metal door. And of course it was locked.
"Yeah, there is no way I am prying this open" Iris commented.
"It's a coded lock. But we don't have the code" Max said.
"Maybe we do. Look" Iris said as she points at the numbers on the keypad "See? These three numbers are blurred. Meaning whoever owns this place must have come here ofte".
"Meaning the combination of those three numbers are the code. Iris, you are a born detective" Max praised.
Iris smiled "Hanging out with you two has taught me a few things".
Max pets her head before testing some combinations until the door unlocked "Oh yes! I thought that only worked in the movies!" She pulls the door open "Open sesame".
They head inside and see a lot of supplies "Stocked and ready for the apocalypse. This must have cost a fortune. Come on".
Iris looked around, what she saw made her sick. There was so many pictures of naked women being tortured. What sick freak would enjoy something like that? Iris shook her head. She had to stay focused. She didn't want to spend a moment longer in this place than she had to.
Max opens the cupboard to reveal rows of red binders. She takes out the binders labeled Rachel, Kate, and Victoria and puts them on the desk.
"Come on, let's see what this shit is all about" Chloe said.
"We are. Okay, a binder marked "Victoria," but it's empty..." Max said.
"Look, the next one says Kate" Chloe pointed out.
Max opened it and had a look of shock when she saw Kate bound by duck-tape and placed in nasty poses "Oh no, Kate... No...".
"God, I should have killed that bastard back there" Chloe said in disgust.
"Who... who would do something like this?" Iris asked, not knowing what else to say.
"Kate wasn't the first... All those binders are filled with other victims. Victoria has to be next. Nathan must be planning to dose her tonight at the Vortex Club party" Max said.
Iris gasped at that "We can't let that happen. Victoria may not be the best person in the world, but she does not deserve... whatever this is".
"You're right, Iris. We need to warn her tonight" Max agreed.
But then Chloe opened the last binder "Rachel... This can't be real... These are all... these are all posed shots, right? Right?".
Iris looked and almost fainted. The pictures of Rachel were even worse than Kate's... and one of them showed her in the ground. With Nathan laying on her. Sick. Iris was almost beginning to regret not killing Nathan now. Key word being almost.
"Look at her face. She's... out of it" Max said.
"Maybe... maybe Nathan paid her a shitload of cash to do this. She probably would have" Chloe said, her panik rising by the second.
"I don't think so. Why is he putting her in the ground like that? Where-" Max began but Chloe interrupted her.
"The junkyard! Max, we have to find that spot, now! Then we can see what he did... There's no way she's dead. No way! She posed for those pictures, Max. I know it, please... let's go" Chloe rushed out.
Iris looked worried. Sure, Chloe deserved to know what happened. But Iris feared Chloe would not like what she finds.
Iris and Max runs back to Chloe's truck and they drive to the junkyard. Chloe brings her truck to a stop, opens her door, and runs. Iris and Max follows.
"Chloe, slow down! Wait for us!" Max called out.
"I know exactly where I'm going!" Chloe said as she runs to the corner of the junkyard near the Steve's Famous Crab sign "Look, this is it! This is it!" She begins to dig with her hands "Are you two going to help me?".
Iris and Max hurried to help her dig. After a while they see something.
"Chloe, stop! Look!" Max said.
"Please, no..." Chloe whispered.
Max digs some more before she pulls away "That smell..."
Iris looked at saw... it was a person burried in the ground. And she knew right away who it was
"Rachel... Oh, Rachel, no, no! Please, not her!" Chloe cries out.
Max covers her mouth with her hands as she watches Chloe's reaction. Chloe moves a few feet away and begins to gag. Max runs over to Chloe and puts one hand on her shoulder and another hand on her back, trying to comfort her.
"Chloe..." She said softly.
"Rachel... why?" Chloe cries in pure grief.
"I'm sorry, Chloe. I'm so sorry..." Max said, doing her best to comfort her friend while also struggling to keep herself as calm as she could be.
Chloe hugs her knees to her chest, sobbing, and covers her face with her hand. Max puts her hands on Chloe's shoulders and hugs her "I loved her so much... How can she be dead? What kind of world does this? Who does this?".
Iris walks up infront if Chloe, she gently move Chloe's hands and legs aside before hugging her. Chloe hugged her back hard, crying in to her neck. Iris wanted to say something, but no words was going to help now. She just let Chloe get her grief out. Just like Chloe did for her earlier.
The monster responsible for this was not going to get away with it. One way or the other, he would pay for what he did. That was not a threat. It was a promise.
A spiritual deer watches them from across the junkyard. Gradually, it fades away.
.
Tell me what you think.