Ms. Paint cupped his face in her hands and said, "Oh honey, I was worried that what you saw might've done some damage."
Karkat wiped his eyes. "I'm fine. Fuck, don't just do that!"
Ms. Paint moved away and got back into the car. Karkat sat up and moved to the seat. They drove home with no other incidents.
Boxcars was at their house, which wasn't really a surprise. "Heard there was a shooting," he said. "We gotta get you somewhere safe, kid." Karkat nodded silently, and was pulled into a crushing hug. Boxcars was always this affectionate.
"Should I pack some stuff?"
"Just clothes and bathroom stuff." Karkat went upstairs and piled clothes into his backpack. Putting his toothpaste and body wash in the bag last, he glanced at himself in the mirror. The bags under his eyes seemed to have doubled in size. His hair was sticking up in every way imaginable, and he looked scared. He was scared.
The rest of the day was a blur. Ms. Paint might've hugged him goodbye. Boxcars could have driven him to the secret hideout after many twists and turns, trying to lighten the mood with easy conversation but stopping once he realized that Karkat was unable to respond. After who knows how much later, Karkat was led inside a nondescript apartment. Droog was inside and gave him the rundown. No wifi. Plenty of books. No cable, but there was a tv and some movies. Plenty of food and water, and Deuce would be making grocery runs every two weeks.
Kankri and Slick didn't even show up to see him.
Now he was alone. He was alone and tears were streaming down his face because he was alone and it was his fault and his friends could be dead right now because of his recklessness.
Then his phone buzzed in his pocket. A text from Sollux, telling him to connect to a wifi network nearby. When he did this, his phone began to buzz with unread pesterchum alerts. Every single one of his friends asked him if he was okay. He sent all of them an affirmative response, and then messaged Sollux.
carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling twinArmageddons [TA]!
CG: HOW DID YOU GET ME A WIFI NETWORK.
TA: ii have my way2
TA: and al2o youre now neiighbor2 wiith terezii
CG: WHO THE FUCK IS TEREZI?
TA: okay iit2 really tiime you learned all of your friiend2 name2
TA: but riight now ii2 not that tiime and ii wiill 2end you a lii2t later
TA: maybe riight now you can thank me for beiing an awe3ome friiend
CG: THANK YOU. SO MUCH.
TA: oh you 2hould probably me22age calliiope at one poiint
TA: her account ii2 2ecure now and ii thiink 2he ha2 2ome iinfo
CG: I'LL GO DO THAT NOW. BYE.
TA: alriight
carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling twinArmageddons [TA]!
carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling uraniumUmbra [UU]!
CG: CALLIOPE, IS EVERYTHING OKAY?
CG: I HAVE A LOT TO TELL YOU.
UU: yes, im fine. are yoU okay? ive been trying to contact yoU for days now.
CG: YEAH, I'M SAFE NOW. THIS MIGHT BE HARD TO HEAR, BUT SOMEONE KILLED YOUR FATHER.
CG: THAT'S WHY I WENT INTO HIDING, AND WHY I MADE MY FRIENDS HELP YOU SECURE EVERYTHING.
UU: oh.
UU: oh my.
UU: karkat i think it woUld be best if i left for jUst a moment.
CG: FUCK, BELIEVE ME, I DEFINITELY WILL LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR A WHILE, BUT I NEED YOU TO TELL ME IF YOU'VE FOUND ANYTHING OUT.
UU: very well. i talked to my brother. he told me everything.
UU: according to him, leonid brots was hired directly by lord english. and gUess who hired lord english to do so?
UU: ill spare yoU the wait ^U^. it was a neUtral party. someone who isnt involved with a gang, so it shoUldnt be too impossible for yoU to find him. someone by the name of lil cal.
CG: THANKS. GO MOURN OVER YOUR FATHER. I'LL TAKE IT FROM HERE. IF YOU LEARN ANYTHING ELSE, TELL ME. AND I'M SORRY.
carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling uraniumUmbra [UU]!
Lil Cal. That name sounded eerily familiar. As if it struck a chord in Karkat's head. A chord that sounded suspiciously like a chord a douchebag hipster would play for the sole purpose of pissing him off.
Oh fuck, he had to talk to Strider.