28 - Alex...Why?

The tension was at its highest peak as everyone glanced at one another. However, those who received the most glares were obviously… Lucian, Alex, and Darius.

They had been the ones who had participated the most at the beginning of this trial. Everyone had already figured out that they were the group's main targets. Luckily for Lucian and Alex, they hadn't done as badly as Darius when it came to looking like normal human beings.

Alex had acted out of line, but because Lucian had stopped, all wasn't lost just yet. The only thing left to do was convince everyone in this room that the villain wasn't them but Darius… the one who had been sent to kill them.

Lucian had a smug smile. He knew it wouldn't be too hard to convince everyone in this room since it was the truth. Darius and his two friends had been sent to kill them.

"So…uh…how should we start this?" Someone who hadn't spoken up yet uttered. "It looks like we only have three minutes to make our choice, so…we should make it fast."

Lucian was about to take control of this conversation. However, before he could say anything, Darius started talking… meaning that he was the one who had the pace of this conversation.

"I think everyone here isn't stupid. So, let's make it simple. We will each have thirty seconds to defend ourselves from whatever actions we may or may not have done. Does everyone agree?"

Everyone in the meeting room started nodding, and Lucian was also one of them. That is… until he realized Alex would also have to defend himself… Lucian wouldn't even be able to interrupt him.

'Let's just hope he doesn't say anything very stupid.'

Darius waited a couple of seconds to see if someone had something against this idea. However, since no one spoke up, he assumed there was no problem.

"I'll start," he declared openly as he approached the roundtable, putting his two elbows on it. "I think many of you here have misjudged me because of certain accusations that were thrown around. So, I'll start by saying this… I have never been hired to kill anyone here, and in no shape or form am I an imposter."

He took a small pause, catching his breath.

"If I were to be honest, I think the best option here would be to ignore this vote since we lack way too much information about who could be the impostor. Don't forget, we are only twenty… we can't eliminate people we don't like."

Lucian had thought of interrupting him while he made his big speech, especially when he had talked about not being hired to kill them. However, he knew there was no point… he lacked one crucial thing: proof.

As much as Lucian wanted to tell everyone that Darius was really a killer, and even his Status was saying so. He knew no one would believe him since it would be his say against Darius's.

"I'll go next," Alex announced.

Hearing his voice, Lucian started sweating. Those would probably be the most stressful thirty seconds of his entire life.

'Please don't threaten anyone… please.'

"Hello, I'm Alex. Look, what he said is true. We don't have anything to prove that he wasn't hired to kill us. However, just look at that fucking stupid face of his… smiling all brightly."

Alex had an expression of disgust on his face, and everyone could see it.

"Isn't it fucking obvious that this is all an act? He tried to approach us before the trial with that same smile; we acted like we were fooled, but it was so bad that everyone figured it out. So, please don't all be idiots and vote to kick him out. I don't care if he isn't an impostor. He won't do anything to help us either way."

'Ah… fucking hell. This is practically even worse than what I thought would happen.'

Lucian was exhausted by Alex's hot head. From what he had said, it was getting too much for him to handle. He just hoped that not everyone had made their choice yet.

'No, but… HOW the fuck did he think saying this was a good idea? Doesn't he fucking get it that he won't be able to get out of this one with brute force?'

Lucian was cursing on the inside. However, his expression on the outside was still the exact same. He had a little smile on as if everything was fine.

"I guess it's now my turn, right?" Lucian said, keeping on the nicest expression possible. It was hard at the moment after what Alex had just said, but… he had to do it.

"I think both of them have a point. On one hand, it makes no sense to kick someone out so early, especially since basically nothing happened apart from that little quarrel. There's no way to know if any of us right now is an impostor, and I do agree that right now, waiting for the next vote would be the best choice."

Lucian glanced at everyone's faces while he said that, and he was happy to see that most had nodded when he said those things, which meant there was a good chance that no one would be eliminated this time.

'At least…if things continue to go this way. No one will be eliminated, and I don't really want to take a risk in eliminating Darius when we'll be able to do it soon enough…'

"Also, you probably noticed, but I don't feel the need to defend myself… I truly believe we should just skip this vote and wait for the next one, and then we can make a better choice on who to kick out."

Lucian glanced to his left, where the three-minute timer was positioned, and the time to discuss was almost over. 

[0:03]

[0:02]

[0:01]

[...You have thirty seconds to make your choice. Who will you banish from the spaceship?]