Chapter 16

The room was silent. The only sound was the dull thud of Sato's blade hitting the concrete floor. Jack, bleeding and breathless, was restrained by the others. He stared at the survivors, his eyes filled with a dark, resentful fire.

Sato's expression was one of stone, emotionless, and frigid. The machete's handle was in his hands, and the blade was nestled in the puddle of blood that surrounding Nana's body. He looked up from the floor, his gaze meeting the astonished expressions of the others.

For a moment, time stood still. The survivors stared in dread as the weight of the situation came down on them like a thick blanket of guilt and shock.

The hideout had turned into a house of nightmares. Just a few weeks ago, it served as a shelter for the survivors, providing them with protection and calm. Now, it was a land of fear and mistrust, with danger lurking around every turn.

Kenji and Ren's actions had already damaged their faith, but Jack's actions had added a new degree of fear to the group. It was almost impossible to believe that someone they had trusted, with whom they had lived and worked, could do such a dreadful thing.

Sato then continued, his voice as steady and calm as if he were reciting a grocery list. "Jack will be confined to the holding cell until we have decided what to do with him."

The others could do nothing but nod in agreement, their minds still racing after the events of the last few minutes.

Sato looked to Kai, his dark eyes fixed on his friend's. "You will watch him."

Kai nodded, his face pale and determined. He walked over to Jack, his steps steady and deliberate. The imprisoned traitor strained against his bonds, but Kai was too powerful and experienced for such pathetic effort.

"Come with me," he hissed, his voice cold. He brought Jack to what the room they acknowledged as a holding cell, a dismal and dark space where he would be imprisoned until the survivors determined his destiny. The massive metal door clanged shut behind them, leaving the room silent once more.

The survivors stood in the blood-soaked basement, their gaze locked on the location where Nana had been. Shiro and Kanoe had removed the lifeless body, leaving their expression blank with astonishment.

Kai stood outside the holding cell, his expression filled with a mix of grief and resolve. He understood Jack had to be punished for his crimes, but the realisation that their once-close group was dissolving made him very sad.

Inside the cell, Jack slumped against the wall, his eyes flaming with fury. He murmured insults beneath his breath, his rage resonating off the cold, damp walls.

Meanwhile, back in the main room, the rest of the survivors gathered around the makeshift table. The atmosphere was tense, the weight of their collective grief and anger hanging heavy in the air.

Then Arumi entered the room and all attention shifted to her as Sato asked her what he had discovered from the autopsy.

"She had been dead for at least 3 hours." Arumi replied. "That's way before the body was discovered" she continued.

"So you're saying there's a chance jack is not the one who killed her?" Shiro asked.

"My husband would never do something like this." A middle aged woman spoke from the crowd. "I know he hasn't been happy since Kenji was kicked out but what would Nana's death profited him"

"Revenge!"an angry voice shouted from the crowd as he stepped forward. It was Nana's son. "My mother supported the notion that led to his friend being cast out." He added.

"I don't need much from anyone, all I need is justice for my mom"

As Nana's son spoke, a hush fell over the room, the air thick with tension and sorrow. Everyone present knew the gravity of what had happened, the impact that Nana's death would have on the group.

The room erupted into a frenzy of arguments as the survivors tried to make sense of what Arumi's findings meant.

"Wait!" Sato bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos. "We mustn't jump to conclusions."

The survivors quieted, their eyes fixed on Sato. He gestured for Arumi to continue.

Arumi addressed the group, her voice steady and professional. "Based on the wounds, I have determined that the assailant was likely left-handed," she said. "Additionally, the force required to inflict these wounds was significantly less than that which Jack would have exerted."

The room went silent as the survivors processed the new knowledge. Left-handed. Less force. It seems that possibly Jack was not the murderer after all.

But this new discovery only raised more questions. The group exchanged worried glances, each mind racing with questions and doubts.

"But who would have wanted to kill Nana?" Sato asked aloud, his eyes flitting from face to face.

Meanwhile, Kai stood guard outside Jack's cell. He couldn't shake the sense that something important was missing. The puzzle parts were dispersed and did not yet fit together. He returned his gaze to Jack, who was still agitated by his captivity.

"You can glare all you want, but if you're innocent, we'll find the truth," Kai said.

Jack scoffed. "Do you really think I did this?" They are setting me up, and you are all falling for it."

Kai's expression stiffened. "If that is true, we will find out. But in the meantime, you stay here."

Kai turned away from the cell, his thoughts full of suspicion. The jigsaw pieces were starting to fit together, but the picture they created was still unclear.

Meanwhile, in the main chamber, Sato's eyes was fixed on the survivors. He needed to focus their minds and uncover any buried information that could throw light on Nana's death.

No matter how hard Sato thought, he always came back to one point, Mai. But it never seemed to make sense cause she was just a 14 year old. She wouldn't be capable of such evil.