And this is the last part of the "Inside" Chapter.

Thank you for your messages and your reviews. Stay safe!
A friend pointed out that Kepler is live for more than a week now...Vale, TOWDNWTBN: thank you, girls!

JC woke up in the middle of the night in Kepler's bedroom. She covered her head with Kepler's crispy clean, off-white sheets and stretched her legs, moving for the first time to what she knew was Kepler's side. It was cold and unused the way hotel room beds were: waiting to be occupied. She took a few slow, deep breaths to calm her heart, still beating hard against her ribs, and swept the tiny beads of sweat that covered her neck. She didn't need Jeanne Hebuterne's timeless gaze, her quiet understanding of passion or Grandpa Freud to explain to her the dream fragments she did very vividly remember. JC let her subconscious deal with itself and chose to deal with her thirst first.

Not remembering the last time she had ever felt thirsty—not even as a child—enhanced JC's frustration. The mere fact that her body was craving water was uncanny. Sleepy, tired and thirsty, she found herself in the kitchen where a glass of cold water from the fridge kicked some sense into her numbed brain cells. Leaving the glass in the sink beside the tea cups they had used a few hours ago, she turned towards Kepler's closed door. She could swear she heard people talking. Tiptoeing to listen better made her situation very clear to her cloudy mind: inside OKTO premises she was transformed into a thirsty, nosy, shameless woman.

Whatever splinters of guilt pierced her dignity were quickly silenced when she heard something very close to a sob coming from the other side of the door.

"I don't expect you to forgive me. Just tell me you understand why I did it." The male voice spoke fast. JC struggled to make out his words.

"I don't see what the point is in all this. It's no good for you dwelling in the past like this." Kepler's voice was low, soft but sober. It was obvious he was not feeling comfortable with the conversation. "I always admired the fact that you could take the extra step to do what it takes—" JC stepped closer. Kepler did sound hurt and if the man couldn't understand it, he must have been a real fool.

"But you never thought I could use it like this, I bet that was a surprise!" The man's voice sounded pathetic, filled with self-pity. "You think I finally got what I deserve, don't you? At the end of the day, it's a kind of justice—"

"Spence, we're over this. How many times—" Was that Spencer? He sounded in an awful state.

"If I was strong, I'd take the extra step, the right one this time—"

"It's so rare to be able to talk like this," Kepler's voice interrupted him. "Come back in front of the camera. Your mother will ask me whether you've lost weight—" Kepler tried to put some humor in his voice but it was obvious it was an awkward conversation. JC took another step closer. The man's sniffling was clearly audible.

"Who's looking worst now, man? You look great. Honest to God!" There was a meanness in the man's voice that made JC instantly dislike him.

"Sure," said Kepler in the usual self-mocking style of his.

"Have you ever had second thoughts, Kepler? Have you ever wanted out?"

"Like every single day?" JC heard his deep sigh and his chair moving as if he had leaned against its back. Or stood? Her heart began to race but against her will she was rooted to the ground.

"You should do it while you still can. You've cut your losses. You have gained out of this." Kepler's silence was not very promising. JC stole a glance at the kitchen. There was no way she could teleport there if the door suddenly opened. "Have you ever thought we should end it? The right way?"

"I thought that's what we've been trying to do." She wondered whether Spencer actually realized how Kepler sounded. Rigid, distant.

"I don't mean playing games…we'd end it the right way. The end—as in the movies. Finish it once and for all. Then we could go on with our lives." Kepler didn't utter a word. JC was seriously contemplating leaving when Spencer started talking again. "Remember the game when we first met? We kicked some butts back then, didn't we? When we passed that level based on the question that fucking Oedipus answered, or that decoy I used…I had them under my thumb. I'm still in touch with some guys from that time." More silence from Kepler's side.
"Remember the question no one answered? We had to bypass that level and quit the chance of ever succeeding at the UKS 100%."

"'Give me the answer to the question', I remember," Kepler offered. He sounded cold but clearly intrigued now.

"Exactly! We had nothing, no question, no answer. All clues were useless. We had tried everything, we'd set a meeting for the first time—remember that guy who took a plane—"

"I took a bus and it was a 300 mile ride." Kepler sounded better now.

"That man was 45, for God's sake. He had two kids!"

"It was a stalemate. Most players abandoned the game after that."

"I found it! I think I have." Spencer talked fast. He sounded like an enthusiastic teenager. "The answer is Death! The question…it doesn't matter."

"Death?"

"That's the only answer to Life. Think about it, Kepler. We either live our lives thinking about it or trying to forget Death, but he's always there. The answer to every question that bothers us, what sets the right perspective, the true measure that makes something important or not. That's it. The answer to everything, to everyone." Once more, JC had difficulty keeping up with his fast talking.

"Spence, that doesn't help you—" Kepler's voice trailed off.

"Just think about it, man! It's right. I know it is. This is it!"

"Do you take your meds, Spence?"

"Don't patronize me—"

"That's not good for you. That way of thinking."

"I'm not crazy, Kepler. I've thought a lot. God only knows I have all the time I need to think things through…. What's the next step?" Spencer's voice had turned into a whisper. JC almost leaned on the doorframe but Kepler didn't utter a word. "I say we should kill him. We should end this. We should kill Gallagher."

"Spencer, don't do this to yourself. Take your meds. And you shouldn't drink. You know how this works—" Kepler's voice didn't share the surprise or the shock JC felt. He sounded as if it was not the first time he had had this conversation.

"He's tried to kill you. Do you think you'll always be lucky enough to cheat death like you did last time?"

"We don't have proof of that yet. I'm close to a serious lead—"

"Why? Are we going to get him to court?" Spencer laughed at his own joke. "He's tried to kill you and he's tried to put me in a cell. I live in prison anyway. He ruined our lives, Kepler."

"We'll take our lives back, Spence, I'm working on it. I just need some time. You know these are time-sensitive—"

"You just don't want to get serious. You don't have the balls. You want others to do the dirty work for you." The sound of broken glass reached her ears. "There's only one answer, and I found it. You're just pissed that you didn't think of it first." JC didn't know whether he was talking about the game or killing that Gallagher guy. "We don't know how we'll die but the certainty is always there: no one escapes it, Kepler. Because you tricked him once—"

"Stop it." Kepler's order seemed to shake the other man because there was a long silence.

"What would you do if Gallagher got to Rebecca or even Taylor?"

"I'll do whatever it takes to keep them safe." When he finally answered, Kepler's solemn, calculated voice forced JC to take a step backwards. She wished she hadn't heard this conversation. Most of all, she wished she hadn't heard him talk like that. It wasn't an expression of passion. It was a premeditated, well-thought decision, full of Kepler's determination, far worse than any of the overzealous, fervent words Spencer had mouthed before. The answer seemed to satisfy Spencer for he remained silent.

"This is not who we are, Spence."

"Who are we, Kepler? Do you recognize us now?"

"No." His voice was soft, calm, totally uninfected by his friend's state. "I guess we'll find out when all this ends."

"I feel I'm running out of time, man." Spencer sounded a little calmer now as he mumbled something incoherent.

"I'm counting on you. We all are."

"That's bullshit. You've all forgotten me. You go on with your lives and from time to time you remember poor, old Spencer to keep the team united. And you're the worst of all. You believe I deserve this." His voice was rising again.

"No one's forgotten you. It's a matter of weeks for you to come back, Spence. Everything will look different when you're here again. You just have to be patient—"

"I've been nothing but patient. I'm a saint of patience! I'm doing nothing else but being patient sitting in my little corner…for what? To return? As what? Live like you? I want my life back! Do you hear me? My life! We should end it. Focus on finding the son of a bitch and end it. That's the only way to be free again—"

Spencer's anger seemed to escalate. It was a mixture of anger and endless whining. The man was a nervous wreck and Kepler responded to the new outburst with remarkable patience and more encouraging words about a better, promising future. JC wondered whether his voice had an effect on all people and not just her because at some point Spencer went silent.

Only when the light from the room suddenly blinded her did JC realize the reason for that silence. Kepler's body towered over her, hiding the screen from her sight. JC winced at his gravelly voice.

"Miss Goodman, how may I help you?"