I spend the day at Etho's house, trying to be comforted by his assurance that Scar won't do anything. Beef cooks us an amazing lunch I'm too worried to thank him for before heading out to help the Listeners. They both suggest just talking to Scar,  even after I mention the argument and the fact that Scar will never believe me. Etho says 'Scar will be Scar, but he still cares about you and I'm sure he doesn't want to hurt you.' In the end, I admit he's right, say my final goodbyes and head to my flat with a box of cookies to convince Scar.

I'm back home before him, which gives me time to organise, thinking of plans for dinner. Is Scar later than usual? I don't know. Will he notice that I'm acting off? I don't know.

Eventually, the door unlocks.

'Hey Bdubs!' Scar says as he enters. 'I got a plane today! And it's the same kind of plane as Cub! Well... the same line of planes! A VX_7! And I got to fly it! With Grian and...'

'Listen, Scar. About last night...' I have to change the conversation. Scar's enthusiasm doesn't fade.

'Oh, don't worry! Xisuma's handling it!' I explain 'He's nice and he said he won't do anything if I keep an eye on you.'

'You... told him?' I hide my panic. 'You- you trusted the ex-Hawk leader with the fact that I'm a Listener?'

'Why wouldn't I?'

The first thought in my head is arguing back. But I can't, taking a deep breath before finding a polite way to phrase it.

'You trust a lot of people, Scar.'

'And?'

'Well... I wouldn't. Some people are bad people.'

'Xisuma's nice. And I'm sure Elex isn't that bad really.' There's a new doubt in Scar's voice about Elex that only makes me more uneasy. I take another deep breath.

'Look, I'm not going to argue with you, Scar. Just give back my badge, and everything... might be fine. No one's heard from Xisuma since he stepped down so... maybe he's alright?' I try to convince myself. Scar's searching through his pockets.

'Oh, Xisuma's great! And he said I did really really well at the parade!'

'Scar, my badge?'

'I'm finding it! I'm finding it!' I've known him for years. He's playing for time, hesitating mid-search.

'Scar, it's mine. Give it back.'

'I... can't find it.'

'Scar, don't lie about this. Give me my badge,' Scar's expression remains worried.

'I'm not lying, Bdubs. I- I know I put it in my pocket yesterday, and now it's not here... and... and I know I didn't take it out before going to the Hawk base...'

'Why would you take it into the Hawk base?!' Worry turns to panic.

'Because I didn't realise I still had it on me! It was a mistake, Bdubs! I promise... Oh notch, it isn't here. Bdubs, I'm so sorry... I'm so so sorry...'

'They're going to find me and kill me.' I look to the door, almost expecting furious Lion officers to burst through any second. 'I'm dead...'

'They don't know it's yours.'

'Your best friend Xisuma does.'

'He said he wouldn't do anything!'

'Maybe he's lying. Maybe you're actually wrong. Have you considered that?' All my terror comes out as anger towards Scar. 'Maybe he's coming over right now and he's going to KILL ME!' Scar steps back, hurt. 'Notch, I knew I should've stayed with the Listeners...'

'That's not fair! Why would you choose to live with the Listeners over me?' Now Scar starts getting upset. 'They took me prisoner and interrogated me... and probably shot down my plane as well! They could've killed me!'

'That's not important, Scar!'

'And they forced Officer Cub to join them!'

'I said that's not important!'

'Officer Cub would never join the evil Listeners! They hurt him! I know they did!'

'Actually, Elex hurt him,' I reply through gritted teeth, still searching for a weapon or exit for when if the Lions come. 'I've actually spoken to him about it. I actually know him.'

'But Officer Cub would never join the Listeners!' Scar continues being too stubborn to understand. 'You've seen the films! He's loyal to the end! He's the most loyal Hawk there! Why would he leave them?!'

'Because they're not good people, Scar! How many times do I have to tell you the Hawks are bad! Elex is bad, and Xisuma probably is too! They KILLED MOM AND IMPULSE, and because you fucking told them I was a Listener without even thinking, they're gonna kill me too!'

'So... so every single Hawk is a bad person?' Is all Scar picks up on. 'You're saying that I'm a bad person then?'

'Of course not, Scar!'

'And... and that Joel, and Jimmy, and Grian... they're all bad people, just because they're Hawks?'

'Grian caused a massacre, the destruction of so many people's lives, and homes. Etho's now living in hiding because of them. Cleo and Impulse are...' I pause, remembering not seeing the note on the table. 'Wait, did you take the letter about Etho too?'

'Yeah, and it's... not in my pocket... crap... it- it all fell out didn't it? In the Hawk changing room... I forgot to pick everything up because Grian knocked and... and... I'll message Grian...'

'Fuck.'

'Oh, phew, Grian says he saw them and... oh that's good, he didn't connect it to you or me... he just took them to Elex.'

What.

'I need to go.'

'Bdubs? Bdubs, it's ok, you're not in danger! They won't link it to you!'

I grab shoes, wrestling them onto my feet.

'Grian was in that room right after me, only he saw them!' I can tell Scar's trying to convince himself as much as me. 'And Grian's not too bad. And Elex doesn't know it's yours...'

'No.' I stand, fighting tears. 'He'll think it's Etho's.' And, ignoring Scar still calling that everything's ok, I leave the house.

The journey's too long. I try to run the whole way, but I'm too tired to even run out of the district, forced to walk, forced to think about what could be happening right now. I know how fast the Watchers act when they hear about Listeners. I know how cruelly they treat them when they're found. All I can do is hope I'm faster.

I hit District 3 after Notch-knows how much increasingly slow running, navigating around buildings, hoping Southern Tower can guide me in the right direction...

I reach the road, scanning the row of houses for the right number. There. I fumble for the key as I reach the door, unlocking, entering.

'ETHO!' I yell, searching through room after room. ''ETHO IT'S ME. GET OUT. NOW. PLEASE. Bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, living...

He's here.

Lying dead in a pool of blood.

:)