This chapter is dedicated to the amazing VictoriaKaer. She's been my number one supporter since I started Wattpad! She's also one of the best friends anyone could ask for! We complain about our lives ALL the time to each other! And I love it! Thank you so much for being you, love you!

The doctor examined Mike’s open and lifeless eyes, pulling at his lids. Everly stood next to Cayson, arms crossed over her chest, staring down at the body before her. Ezra paced around behind the doctor, watching his every move with extreme curiosity. Ezra’s two right hand men, Leo and Sam, were right behind him.

Zane had his arms around Roxanne, rocking back and forth slowly as she shook violently. Roxanne had only stopped sobbing a few minutes ago.  

“Do you think Sean’s alright?” Everly whispered, glancing over her shoulder at him. He stood near the entrance of the cafeteria, making sure no one passed him.

“I don’t know. He didn’t really look at the body. I’m not sure if he even realizes its Mike,” Cayson replied in a hushed tone.

“I hope he’s alright,” she frowned. Michelle, the doctors other assistant, stomped past Cayson and Everly; she refused to look at the body. Michelle only handed the doctor the tools he had asked for and spun back around. Shoving past Cayson, she practically ran away.

“What’s wrong with her?” Cayson wondered.

“She and Mike had a thing,” Cayson simply nodded. The doctor opened Mike’s mouth, using one of his tools to search inside. Cayson looked away, feeling sick to his stomach. He had seen a dead body before. Mike only reminded him of the sister he missed more than anything.

“I found something,” the doctor spoke a few minutes later. All eyes were on him as he removed a small, almost microscopic, piece of a white crystal. It appeared to be slightly larger than a grain of salt.

“He wasn’t stabbed, or shot with an arrow like usual?” Ezra questioned, his foot tapping against the ground; anxious and terrified as to what he might hear.

“No. There’s no wounds. I’ve seen something like this before,” the doctor paused to gesture toward the grain. “I think he was poisoned.”

“Poisoned? How in the hell was he poisoned?” Ezra ran a hand roughly over his face, sighing in frustration. “Roxanne,” Ezra called. How did he know their names? Roxanne dared to leave the comfort of Zane’s embrace. Turning to Ezra, she pulled Zane’s jacket further around her, desperately seeking his comfort. “What had he done today?”

“I . . . I don’t know. He-he came in here to eat a few minutes ago and then left. Then when I came out to get more fruit from the garden he was . . .” Roxanne couldn’t finish.

“Could it have been the food?” Cayson chipped in, stepping forward.

“What?” Ezra sneered.

“Roxanne said he only eat, right? Isn’t it obvious? The food’s poisoned?”  

“Roxanne, can you bring us to the food?” The doctor questioned. Roxanne bobbed her head, trudging to the back door. Throwing it open, everyone shuffled inside and they walked into the back. Three different boxes sat on one of the few tables.

One had small pieces of meat left, another lettuce, and the last with various fruits. The doctor drug forward the box of meat as he began to dig through it.

“What are you looking for?” Ezra questioned.

“I’ve seen this type of poison once before. When you pull down his bottom lid, you can see its trademark in the eyes. So, I should be able to find some sort of element of it on the food.” Roxanne and Zane practically held their breath as they waited for any news.

“How did all these tables and chairs get here?” Cayson questioned Everly.

“I heard a rumor that everything here, the tables, chairs and even the buildings were all here. Just like someone had dropped them off and left them.” She replied.

“Sir,” Leo whispered. “If this is in fact poison, what are we going to do?”

“I don’t know. We’d have to stop eating for the day at least.”

“Stop eating?” Sam wondered, “How on earth will we explain this to everyone?”

“I’ll handle it,” Ezra replied, returning his attention back to the food. Everly and Cayson exchanged worried glances.

“Found it,” the doctor mumbled to himself what felt like an hour later. Ezra leapt forward, leaning over the doctor’s shoulder.

“So it’s true,” Cayson found himself gasping. Ezra froze, a thought creeping into his head. Spinning around on his heels, he glared at Cayson.

“How did you know that?”

“Know what?” Cayson wondered, pleasantly surprised.

“Know that the poison was in the food,” Sam and Leo copied Ezra’s look of hatred.

“Roxanne said that he had only eaten today?” Everly attempted to defend Cayson.

“No, she hadn’t said that. She only said he had eaten today. Meaning, Cayson just somehow knew that the poison was in the food.” Ezra crossed his arms over his chest.

“He assumed, like the rest of us did,” Zane entered the conversation.

“Leo and Sam, take Cayson to the meeting room and lock him in there until further notice,” Ezra instructed. Leo and Sam moved the second Ezra finished talking.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Cayson exclaimed, anger clear in his tone.

“Ezra, I think you might be mistaken,” Everly began, stepping forward and in front of Cayson. Ezra peered over his shoulder at the doctor.

“Keep your little rats in line. I would hate to have to exterminate one.” Ezra bore a large smile as his eyes met Everly’s. The doctor latched onto her arm, ushering her away from Cayson.

“Don’t say anything else,” Cayson whispered, not wanting to get her in trouble.

“Cayson couldn’t have done it. I haven’t seen him all day. The only time I saw him was when I had been screaming my head off for a few minutes,” Roxanne dared to say. Sam and Leo both dug their fingers into Cayson’s arms.

“Emotional trauma. You don’t know what you're saying, I’ll excuse you this once.”  Ezra watched in delight as Sam and Leo pulled Cayson from the kitchen. Cayson didn’t fight their grips until they were outside.

“I do still have my gun. Don’t think I’m too afraid to use it,” Leo warned as they neared Sean. When he heard them coming, he spun around, shock painted on his face.

“What’s going on?” Sean asked.

“None of your business,” Sam spat his way.

“Find Mason,” Cayson began. He, however, wasn’t able to finish. Leo and Sam quickened their pace, making it impossible to share anything else with Sean. Cayson could feel all eyes on him as he was taken back into Ezra’s building.

“So, do I not even get a trial?” Cayson questioned as they reached the meeting room. Leo released his hold on Cayson, throwing open the door. Sam forced him inside, setting a hand on Cayson’s shoulder. Spinning him around, Sam sent his fist into Cayson’s cheek. Cayson smashed to the ground, head cracking against the tile, not expecting the punch.

Cayson could taste the blood in his mouth, dripping from the corner of his lip, as he eyed Sam.

“We find you guilty. How’s that for a trial?” And with that Sam slammed the door shut and locked him inside.