A suspicious mind will see evidence of poison wherever it looks.

- Jan Gibson

It was quiet. DogDay and Koa said nothing upon leaving the school. Neither of them really knew what to say. It was a close call for both of them.

Especially for DogDay.

CatNap had been so close to mauling him to death, but Angel, once again, saved his life. She had even threatened CatNap. But once it was over, DogDay knew she was ashamed. He remembered all of her visits from before, and not once was she ever violent or angry. Not with anyone.

'Then again, as she had said, ten years is a long time. On top of that, she's trying to survive being here.' DogDay knew that too. Survival sometimes brings out the worst in people. He witnessed it three times over. Three times too many.

He stole a glance at Angel. She looked so upset. So tired. He looked up and saw a bench nearby.

"Angel," he said quietly. She glanced up at him, not saying anything. "We should rest for a while. That was…. Very intense back there. For both of us."

She looked ahead and saw a bench. She looked back to DogDay, and nodded, still not saying a word. Once they were by the bench, Koa slid her Grab-Pack off, letting it drop to the floor, and slumped on the bench. DogDay sat next to her. Both remained silent. Koa then held her head in her hands, sighing loudly.

"Angel?"

This time, she didn't look at him. She was too ashamed of what happened in the school.

"Angel, please. Talk to me," DogDay pleaded.

At first, he got no response. He placed a hand on her back, and this time he got a response, but not the response he was hoping for. She was looking at him in surprise. Like she didn't understand why he was near her. He didn't remove his hand, though.

"Angel?"

"Why are you not afraid of me?" She suddenly asked.

DogDay flinched at the question. "Why would I be afraid?"

"After what happened back there? After what I did? What I said? You probably think I'm no better than those scientists, huh?"

DogDay was surprised. He wasn't expecting that from her, but then realization hit him. She was afraid that she was becoming like the scientists and doctors that experimented on them.

"Angel, I'm not repulsed by what you did. You surprised me, yes, but I'm not repulsed. Nor am I afraid of you. And don't ever compare yourself to the staff that actually hurt us. You're not like them," DogDay said gently.

Angel wasn't convinced and she looked away. "How am I not? I found some security logs all over the factory, and I'm… disgusted by what they've done. I even found a few involving CatNap. He's a victim too. I'm sure to him, I'm no better. I heard him say that."

"I'll admit, yes CatNap sees you that way. But, you are not like those scientists, Angel," DogDay said, trying to get his point across to her in any way he could. "I know, because you feel guilty about what happened. Even if you had nothing to do with it, you feel guilty." This caught Angel's attention and she looked back to DogDay. "You even feel ashamed for what happened in the school just five minutes ago. Those scientists on the other hand, they didn't. They didn't feel sorry for the way they treated us. They treated us worse than animals and actually enjoyed it."

DogDay again remembered all the times Angel had come to visit Playcare. All the fun she had with the children. Interacting with the Critters like they were no different than other people.

"You are different from the other humans, Angel. You treated us as equals. It doesn't matter if you didn't know we were real. You still treated us as real people. That's how I know, Angel. You're better than them."

Angel smiled at DogDay's words. She didn't know what to say. She looked down and sighed.

Finally, she said, "thanks, DogDay." She looked back up and smiled, "I needed to hear that."

"What are friends for, Angel?" DogDay said, earning a chuckle out of both of them. After a short pause, DogDay spoke again, "so… now what do we do?"

That certainly caught Angel's attention. She stood up and paced as she spoke, "I'm not so sure. The original plan was to turn on the generator in the school to restore power to the Gas Production Zone. But that plan went south the second Miss Delight came into the picture. She destroyed the school's generator before she attacked me. And I didn't even see one in the Playhouse. And I sure as heck I'm not going back in there! I don't know what to do now."

As if on queue, her phone started ringing. She sighed in relief and answered it, putting it on speaker.

"Hey, are you alright?! No ouchies or lost body parts?" Ollie asked with fear in his little voice.

Koa stole a glance at DogDay before responding, "no, Ollie. I'm alright." Ollie sighed in relief.

DogDay was surprised at this. 'A child? How is there a young child here?'

Not wanting to interrupt, DogDay decided to stay quiet, saving his questions for later.

"You've been in there for hours! I was worried you were killed! I'm really glad you're okay. I don't wanna lose anymore friends to this place," Ollie said with huge relief.

Koa and DogDay glanced at each other, unsure of what to say. Ollie suddenly asked, "hey…did you see the shrine?"

This caught Koa and DogDay's attention fast.

"CatNap made it for the Prototype. You see, before CatNap turned into… CatNap, I guess there was some pretty serious accident. He almost died, but they say that the Prototype saved his life, giving up his own freedom in the process," Ollie explained.

'That explains why CatNap worships the ground The Prototype walks on,' Koa thought to herself.

She glanced again to DogDay, and the look on his face showed she was thinking the same thing: How did Ollie even know they were in the caverns?

Neither of them ever said they were in the caverns.

"In CatNap's eyes, The Prototype is a superhero, and has saved this place," Ollie continued. "So CatNap treats him like a god, killing everyone that opposes him. Us included, if we're not careful."

DogDay and Koa shared a look with each other that said 'or mutilates them into lameness,' though they did not saying it out loud.

"That shrine," Ollie continued, snapping Koa and DogDay out of their thoughts. "Did it scare you? If you thought that was terrifying, just wait until you see the real thing!"

DogDay shuddered, causing Koa to look up. It was there she decided that she had a reason to fight after all: DogDay.

"Anyways, we're really close to the end! I sent you a new key. You're going to the Counselor's Office instead. It's not ideal, but it should have enough juice. If you can get that generator going and plug it in, I think we'll be done!" Ollie said with confidence and joy in his voice.

DogDay gasped quietly. He was about to protest, but Koa stopped him, gesturing for him to stay quiet. DogDay obeyed.

"And keep your eyes open for CatNap! Every shadow and every flickering light is a hiding spot. He always stalks his prey first. He'll take away anything you have to defend yourself. And when you're at your most vulnerable... he'll kill you! CatNap lives for the hunt. Good luck! Talk soon!" With that, Ollie disconnected the call.

Just incase, Koa hit the end call button on the phone.

DogDay and Angel stared at each other, fear in their faces. Angel glanced behind DogDay. DogDay noticed and looked behind him. There was the Counselor's Office. CatNap's hunting grounds. DogDay turned back around to face Angel.

"Angel? You aren't seriously considering going in there, are you?" DogDay asked, not even trying to hide the anxiety he was feeling.

Koa didn't take her eyes off the Counselor's Office. "Is there any other option?"

"I don't now. But, there has to be," DogDay insisted. "Can we even trust him?"

That made Koa look at DogDay. "You're skeptical too, huh?"

"You said it yourself. It's been ten years. There wouldn't be any children here. All the children what were here would all either be teenagers or young adults by now," DogDay pointed out.

"That's a good point," Koa said after a brief pause, "I didn't think of that. I didn't trust him because he seems to know too much about everything that's going on down here. And he didn't warn me about Miss Delight before I went into the school!" She yelled quietly.

DogDay gasped, and she nodded in confirmation. Koa thought for another minute. "Poppy seems to trust him, though. Although, I'm not entirely sure Poppy can be trusted."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well," Angel paused for a moment, but decided she had to tell him. "Poppy hasn't really been honest with me from the get-go. The first thing she said to me when she told me about The Prototype was, and I quote, 'let me help you kill him.' After that, she hesitated and rephrased it to 'let me help you save everyone.' I'm not entirely sure her motives are what she says they are."

That had DogDay's complete attention. "What do you think her real motives are."

Koa sighed, glancing in the direction of the high platform that Poppy and Kissy were no doubt still hiding on. "I'm not sure. But I do believe they are for herself. Not for everyone else. And I'm not entirely too pleased that she said she wants revenge."

"Well, The Prototype is responsible for the deaths of your co-workers. Surely you want justice, don't you?"

Koa looked back at DogDay, "'Justice?'"

She though that was an interesting choice of words. After all, that word never came out of her mouth. And DogDay is the one to say it first. Justice and vengeance are not the same thing.

DogDay nodded. "Yes. My friends are all dead because of the Prototype. I want the proper justice for their deaths and the Prototype's crimes."

Koa smiled. "Justice."

She let the word dance on her tongue.

DogDay had just earned her trust and respect tenfold.

"Yes, I want justice. Poppy on the other hand, seeks vengeance. Justice and vengeance are not the same thing. Yet another reason I don't trust Poppy."

DogDay was actually inclined to agree. The Prototype's actions were out of vengeance and it only made things worse for everyone here. If Poppy's motives are vengeance driven too, then DogDay didn't want to find out what would come after if she got it.

"And all Poppy has done is break her promises to me. If she promised anything after the Prototype's defeat, then I wouldn't really count on it happening." Koa added out of nowhere.

"What do you mean, Angel?" DogDay asked.

Koa sighed. "She promised to help me escape the factory. We had a run in with Mommy Long-Legs and, after I defeated her and saved Poppy, right after I boarded the factory's train, she changed its coarse to here. She actually said she 'can't let me leave.'"

Now DogDay was surprised at that. Yes, if Poppy hadn't done that, he would still be CatNap's prisoner and chew toy. Yes, they need all the help they can get to end the Prototype's tyranny. But kidnapping and forcing someone into your plans is wrong.

"Please say that didn't happen, Angel." DogDay said standing up from the bench.

"I have the bruises from the train derailment to prove it," Koa said, pointing to the bruised bump on her forehead as an example and proof.

DogDay trembled. "I'm sorry, Angel. You really are going above and beyond for us."

Koa smiled slightly, "Right now, it's just for you DogDay. You're the only one helping me while everyone else expects me to work alone. Or they're trying to kill me."

"Well," DogDay said with sincerity in his voice and placed a hand on her shoulder, "you're not working alone anymore, Angel. I promise I will help you in any way I can. I will help you with everything left in me."

Koa smiled wider and grabbed DogDay's forearm in gratitude. "Thank you, DogDay."

She paused, and glanced back to the high platform where Poppy and Kissy were. Nodding to herself, she looked back to DogDay.

"For now, I think we should play along with Poppy's plans. Keep her on our good side, but we keep our guard up. I hope I'm wrong about her, but I don't want to take any chances and find out the hard way if Poppy is, in fact, an enemy," she explained.

"Agreed," DogDay replied, nodding his head. He didn't want to take any chances with Poppy either. If she can resort to kidnapping and keep a clear conscience, he didn't want to know what else Poppy could and would do in order to get what she wanted.

Koa glanced behind DogDay again to the Counselor's Office. DogDay turned around and faced the building as well. Both of them knew. It was the lion's den. CatNap may be down, but he's not out. It would be suicide to just waltz on into the Counselor's Office. Especially with CatNap on the hunt.

They needed a plan.

"Your mind is working at its best when you're being paranoid. You explore every avenue and possibility of your situation at high speed with total clarity."

- Banksy