Nym finished her journal entry just as the nurse returned. She quietly put the journal away and shifted to sit up, looking over at the woman. She felt better, though her lungs remained a little tight and sore.

"I spoke with the doctor. For safety and cleanliness reasons the android cannot come in here. However, if you feel well enough, I could call for a wheelchair so you can leave and speak to the android in the waiting room."

"I feel fine," Nym said quickly. "I don't need a wheelchair either. Can I...can I change back into my clothes first, though?" she asked, looking down at the thin hospital gown. She wasn't sure she wanted to walk through the halls feeling this exposed.

"Um, yeah." The nurse brought her a small bag of clothing.

Nym took it from her and saw it wasn't what she'd been wearing earlier, but it was her clothing. They'd probably sent Kirsi to get her a change of clothes. She didn't know if she wanted to know what they'd done with the old stuff.

Once the nurse left the room she slipped up off the bed and headed into the bathroom, slipping out of the hospital gown and into her baggy jeans and grey T-shirt. She donned the socks that were in the bag but didn't find any shoes and decided they could just deal with it.

Folding up the gown, she left it on the hospital bed before leaving the room. Weaving her way around people in the hall she found the waiting room. Though, she would've missed it had if not for the large android standing to the side, staring at the doorway.

"Well, hello there," she said, walking into the room and looking up at 02.

He followed her as she moved to the row of chairs that Kirsi was waiting in, but didn't sit down.

"Hey, you're up! Are they letting you go? Are you better?" Kirsi flitted nervously around Nym for a moment, looking her over and then hugging her.

"I'm alright. I have to stay for a few days so they can watch my condition, but they said I had to come out here to talk to you guys. 02 apparently wasn't exactly made to be in a hospital."

"Oh...That makes sense."

"Yeah, but in a few days, I can go home. I just wanted to come out here and see how you guys were doing. Although, I honestly just wanted to make sure they didn't kick O2 out for being an Android."

"I am present," he said plainly from behind her.

"I can see that," Nym said and smiled some.

He just stared at her. She felt a chill run down her spine and swallowed hard. There was something about his face...or lack thereof. She couldn't place it.

"Well, they haven't tried to take him away or anything. I'd say he's safe with us," Kirsi piped up as she slumped back down into a chair tiredly. She sighed a bit and crossed her arms over her chest.

Nym nodded a little and sat beside her friend. "Hey, have you talked to your parents? I know you said the tanks at the Shelter were poisoned. Do y'all have your own tank?"

"Yeah, we do. I called them an hour ago to tell them where I was. They're actually here. My mom was worried about you. They went to talk to the doctors, though, and I haven't seen them in a while. I figure they're working on paperwork and stuff."

"Okay, I'm glad they're okay."

Kirsi nodded. "Have you...talked to your parents...since?"

Nym looked down, rubbing her arms and shaking her head. She took in a shaky breath at the thought. Her parents deserved to know if they didn't already, especially with the need to plan a funeral soon, but she couldn't bring herself to tell them. She guessed it wouldn't hurt as much if the doctor broke the news...but if he didn't, she couldn't do that to them.

They'd be so mad. I was supposed to take care of him...

"I need answers before I talk to them," she finally said. "I'm sure mom has called, but I can't tell them until I can tell them who, and what, and why. And, I don't think I'm strong enough to plan my brother's funeral right now."

"I understand," Kirsi said, laying a hand on her shoulder.

Nym bit her lip and nodded, fighting back the knot that tied itself in her throat. It took a few minutes of slow breathing but she swallowed it before panic set in. Slowly, she looked up at 02.

"Do you know anything about this poison?"

He swiveled to look at her, looking down. "I have no information on this poison, except that it matches an earlier scan. However, the scan itself will not open. I have no access to its content. I believe that relates to my memory core damage."

"Makes sense," Nym said softly. The rest of her questions raced through her head but she knew asking would be futile. 02 could hardly remember his own past, and he'd never met Cormac, so how would he know if her brother had died from this? 

The nurses might know something, though. Surely they can do some sort of scan or autopsy or just look at the records...

Nym's eyes lit up mildly and she sat up. "Hey, Kirsi, wanna come with me to ask one of the nurses a few questions?" she asked, afraid to do this alone.

"Uh, sure?" Kirsi started to get up, clearly confused but willing to go.

Nym smiled thinly. "Perfect." She headed to the door, peeking out of the waiting room and spotting a passing nurse. The young woman didn't look like she was doing much so Nym flagged her down.

"Is there a problem ma'am?" the nurse asked as she walked up.

"No, I just wanted to ask something. I assume you know about the incident at the Shelter?" she paused, watching the woman's face for an answer. For a moment the nurse looked blank, then she nodded a bit, pressing her lips into a worried line.

"Yes, I'm aware."

"Okay, well, my brother died two days ago and I..." Nym reached for Kirsi and the other girl gripped her hand, squeezing it gently. "I never really got a true cause of death for him. I was told he choked on pollution, but I was there. It didn't look like pollution. I wanted to see if maybe his records shed any light on his real cause of death? Maybe it was related to this?"

The nurse bobbed her head slowly. "I can go look up his records and cross-check them with our new information. Give me 30 minutes and I'll try to get back to you," she said, offering a sympathetic smile.

Nym nodded, realizing her hand was shaking as she exhaled heavily. "Thank you."

The nurse nodded and turned to leave.

"You did great," Kirsi praised Nym, patting her shoulder gently with a smile. "You did amazing."

"Thanks..." Nym turned and hugged Kirsi tight, feeling weak. Talking about her brother's death still hurt. She still couldn't bring herself to think about burying him. The initial pain was number now, like a dull ache you couldn't rid yourself of. However, it remained.

She didn't know if it would ever fade, but part of her didn't ever want it to.

"Wanna go see if we can find my parents?" Kirsi offered as she slowly pulled back. "Maybe talking to them will help? I know they're not your parents, but you know they won't hesitate to listen."

Nym nodded silently and moved back. She shoved her hands in her pockets, looking around. She followed Kirsi as the girl started down the hall, though, and just looked around. The hospital wasn't somewhere she came or went a lot. It reminded her of death. People lying in whitewashed rooms surrounded by machines, clinging to life. Young, old, it didn't matter.

Kirsi walked a little faster as they moved towards the front of the hospital where she assumed the front desk was located. Nym reasoned Kirsi suspected her parents would be there, considering they were probably working on paperwork. They wove between food carts and the occasional gurney before making it to the doors that opened into the front lobby.

Beside the doors sat several oxygen tanks and masks again, and Nym tried not to shirk from the thought of putting one on. The front lobby of the hospital didn't have the same airtight status as the rest because it opened onto the street. They'd need to don oxygen tanks if they wanted to get through the airlock-style doors into the lobby.

Kirsi already had hers halfway on. Nym swallowed hard, but she slowly followed her friend's lead and pulled the tank onto her back, adjusting the straps. It felt lighter, probably one of the new issues. The hospital was the only place that had them.

At least someone has them...

After fixing the tank on her back, she pulled the mask over her mouth and reached back to awkwardly turn the knob. Air rushed through the line and hit her face with a cold rush. It tasted staler than the hospital air, but no acrid taste burned her mouth. No strange smell invaded her nose, and she didn't feel dizzy after standing there a minute.

"Everything good?" Kirsi asked.

Nym gave her a thumbs-up, and Kirsi opened the door. It worked the same way it did at Kirsi's house, opening one set and allowing them into a small chamber that flushed of all contaminated air, then let them out the other side.

Nym stepped out of the chamber after Kirsi and into the open lobby space. Only to find that it wasn't as open as she expected.

Stretchers filled the front of the hospital, with ambulances waiting just outside the door, sirens, and lights still blaring. Medics were moving in through the open front doors, bringing in more stretchers. Each one occupied by a black body bag.

Nym felt her stomach convulse and struggled not to gag.

Kirsi grabbed her hand tight, and Nym could feel the other girl was shaking now too. It looked like carnage but in a silent peaceful way. No blood or guts washed the floors, just a sea of body bags. Even the air itself felt weighed down by the wave of death that had flooded into the hospital lobby.

Nym could feel it tighten chest, forcing tears to her eyes and a knot into her throat. She managed to weakly squeeze Kirsi's hand, though, tearing her eyes away. She wanted to know what happened but fear stopped her. Instead, she craned her neck to see where Kirsi's parents might be.

As assumed, she saw them on the other side of the lobby at the front counter filling out paperwork.

Nym could see Kirsi's eyes frozen on the bodies and she managed to pull her friend away, guiding her over to her parents. Nym kept her own eyes averted, afraid to look for fear of vomiting or breaking down. She just focused on helping Kirsi get over to her parents.

"Hey, what are you two doing out here?" Mrs. Brooks looked up, and moved towards them, looking concerned. "Nym, are you doing alright?"

"Yeah, we're okay, Mrs. Brooks," Nym managed. She let Kirsi go as the girl fumbled for her father, hugging him in a daze. Nym just kept her back to all the bodies.

Mrs. Brooks nodded but she put her hands on Nym's shoulder, looking at her face and touching her forehead. "Not feeling lightheaded or dizzy? Did you get a nurse to clear your before you left?"

"Yes Ma'am," Nym said. "Kirsi wanted to know where y'all were so we came looking. We just didn't know about..." she swallowed hard, the words drying up. She couldn't afford to break down now.

"I'm sorry...They just started bringing everyone in. We should've warned you somehow, or come and gotten you."

Nym found herself quickly enveloped in a warm firm hug and she stood stunned a moment before hugging the older woman back.

Mrs. Brooks just clutched her tighter. "I'm so sorry..."

Nym nodded and gripped the older woman, half-wishing it was her own mother, but glad just to be held. Kirsi's family was close enough to be Nym's family and it was nice to have someone.

She had to get the burning question off her mind, though, and she buried her face in Mrs. Brooks shoulder to muffle the question. "Who are...they?" She had an idea, but she needed confirmation.

Mrs. Brooks squeezed her tight, then slowly pulled back and brushed Nym's hair back from her face. She took Nym's hand, squeezing it in her own. "Nym...it's everyone from the shelter. They found them all dead; all of them asleep using their night masks. They said it happened at least two days ago. Some survived. Those who slept with their air tanks and not the masks lived, and the entire ground floor east wing was fine because their night masks haven't been working.  Everyone else, though...I'm sorry sweetie, they're gone."

Nym nodded hollowly, unable to look Mrs. Brook's in the eye. She knew it wasn't her fault, but guilt gnawed at her, knowing she'd survived. She'd come in contact with the poison and lived. She'd slept with her tank instead of the night mask and woken up the next morning alive. Just like everyone else, she didn't see the problem before it started.

Slowly she looked back over her shoulder as the medics piled more bodies inside, filling the last remaining space. Chills crawled their way down her spine again. She tried to swallow the knot in her throat, gripping Mrs. Brook's hand tighter as another question pushed its way into her mind. The final and most important question of them all.

Who would do this?