Hype Horrors 3: Comic-Condemned IC Thread

[wiegeabo]

I numbly do what the detective says. Shlee's death is the straw that breaks the camel's back. I don't have the spirit to fight anymore.

Officers start escorting us towards the elevators. And despite the growing certainty that none of us are going to survive, I can't help but look back at the detective with a measure of defiance.

"Believe us now?"

 

[twylight]

The police officers lead us away, roughly of course. I can't blame them after finding the bloodbath like we did. Honestly I don't expect the next few hours to get any better than before. I wonder how they'll treat us when they expect us to be the killers.

 

[Byrd Man]

I numbly do what the detective says. Shlee's death is the straw that breaks the camel's back. I don't have the spirit to fight anymore.

Officers start escorting us towards the elevators. And despite the growing certainty that none of us are going to survive, I can't help but look back at the detective with a measure of defiance.

"Believe us now?"

"Listen, we can get this all squared away downtown, okay?"

The detective led the group towards the elevators and looked at his watch as they waited on the elevator.

"I don't know what's going on, but I promise you I'll find out soon enough. I don't care if it's one or all of you, someone is getting charged with these murders. Especially Mister Yazermin's."

 

[Batman]

The next few moments are kind of a blur. I don't even really acknowledge the police, they just kind of showed up and I followed along. Everything's going so fast that I can't even react anymore. It's like I've been shut down. I...

"Wait."

I finally look up at the officer.

"Who the hell is Mister Yazermin?"

 

[Byrd Man]

The next few moments are kind of a blur. I don't even really acknowledge the police, they just kind of showed up and I followed along. Everything's going so fast that I can't even react anymore. It's like I've been shut down. I...

"Wait."

I finally look up at the officer.

"Who the hell is Mister Yazermin?"

The detective scowls.

"Cute. Now you're going to suddenly forget, huh? Daniel Yazermin. Your 'friend'. The one who was killed at the convention. Stabbed and shoved off the platform."

 

[Batman]

The detective scowls.

"Cute. Now you're going to suddenly forget, huh? Daniel Yazermin. Your 'friend'. The one who was killed at the convention. Stabbed and shoved off the platform."

"I... what?"

No trace of sarcasm, no hint of irony. I'm simply dumbfounded.

"There must be some mistake. Our 'friend' was named Matt Johnson. I was rooming with him before this happened, I saw his ID when we went to check in."

 

[Byrd Man]

"I... what?"

No trace of sarcasm, no hint of irony. I'm simply dumbfounded.

"There must be some mistake. Our 'friend' was named Matt Johnson. I was rooming with him before this happened, I saw his ID when we went to check in."

"I don't know what you're talking about. The man that was murdered was positively identified as Daniel Yazermin from San Diego.....an actor from the area. Are you certain that Yazermin was your friend? You said you all knew each other over the internet. How do you know what your friend looked like in real life?"

 

[twylight]

...we just entered The Net. Stop the world, I'm ready to get off.

"That wasn't his name." I say automatically, echoing MB's words.

"And I knew what he looked like, and sounded like."

Everything just went for freakishly real to totally surreal. Usually I would have tried to stay close to someone I knew but at this point, I don't know who to trust.

 

[Batman]

"I don't know what you're talking about. The man that was murdered was positively identified as Daniel Yazermin from San Diego.....an actor from the area. Are you certain that Yazermin was your friend? You said you all knew each other over the internet. How do you know what your friend looked like in real life?"

"Well, I... I-I mean..."

Paused. I don't know what the hell is happening right now, but this just got even more incredibly f***ed up. Daniel Yazermin? I've never heard of this man before in my life, and the Byrd that I met at the start of this nightmare... I mean, how could he possibly be an actor? He knew in-jokes between the two of us. He made light of the fact that we should have been posting. He was Byrd, there's no question about it.

"That's impossible. I've seen pictures of him on Facebook, I know what he looks like. I mean, I... I think I do."

Suddenly, I realize that I was only going off of memory. I haven't seen those pictures in months. All I know is that he looked enough like Byrd for me not to even question it.

But... the in-jokes. The personality. The fact that he dressed up like Jim Gordon. Everything was there. There's no way an actor could have known all of that about Byrd without some serious research, and even then, I...

No. No, it's not possible.

Plus, what the hell would be the motive for doing that anyway? We're a bunch of comic book nerds. No one would need to go out of their way to fool us like that, unless...

Unless someone really held a grudge.

Jesus.

Just, Jesus Christ.

What the holy **** is going on?

 

[Andy C.]

"If the man who was killed wasn't Byrd.............oh ****."

No way.

No goddamned way.

"You guys don't think that........that Byrd's the one behind this?"

 

[wiegeabo]

The world just refuses to slow down or make any sense. Our friends are dying off faster than we can keep track. Clues boggle our minds. And now...now...one of our best friends from the Hype might not actually be dead, and might be behind the murders, just toying with us.

Or he could be dead and replaced by an imposter...who's playing with us.

Or it could be something else altogether.

"Any chance you could let us out to go get blind stinking drunk at the nearest bar?"

The detective just glares at us.

"Ok...any chance we could see all those clues again? I know you guys are trying to figure this all out, but we might not go crazy quite so fast if we felt like we were accomplishing something."

 

[Keyser Soze]

"You know, I've been thinking a little bit, about anagrams."

I pull a little pen and paper out from the inside pocket of my little jacket, and start writing on it.

"The colored letters we've got so far. Red: ri2D8IbsinidB. Blue: IlgehIitddyr. Put them both together, you get ri2D8IbsinidBIlgehIitddyr. What words can you make from those letters? There are a bunch of combinations, but one that stands out to me now..."

I start circling letters from the jumble, then write them out in order underneath:

Byrd didnt Die

 

[wiegeabo]

"No...that's impossible!"

Realizing what I just said, and where I just said it, I glare at everyone, daring them to make a Star Wars reference when our friends are dying around us.

"Ok...it's probably not a coincidence...but if it isn't...what do the remaining letters and numbers spell out?"

"...wait a sec..."

I look at the two lines and remember the third clue:

"Red
Blue
Red
Blue"

Everyone's looking at me.

"It doesn't work. It's close, but it doesn't quite work. B y r d D i d ...there's no blue n. Is there something else...?"

 

[twylight]

I watched the guys examine the number and letter combinations. I wasn't exactly the best at anagrams. I actually fail pretty hard a them so I let them piece it out while feeling absolutely worth it.

I don't understand what the Officer said about Byrd. Or 'Wasn't-Byrd' I suppose? It wasn't Byrd? As horrible as it sounds I was happy it wasn't Byrd, it meant that somewhere he was probably still alive. But on the other hand.. why was he still alive? Was he behind this anyway? Or was Byrd even the person he said he was and we thought he was? did he pull an elaborate Aunt Petunia? Why would he do that? What was to gain?

My head started to ache as Wieg, Andy and Soze huddled over pieces of paper with pencils and pens.

 

[Byrd Man]

"Wait a minute...," the officer says, looking at the clues.

"What about this last one?"

I am darkness!
I am the night!
I am Batman!
Eight down, five to go. Two days to go. Hurry up

"Lotta red and blues in this one. Can it mean something?"
​

 

[twylight]

Oh look at the officer getting involved now.. what an ***

I peek over his shoulder...I d I i t B d d y r

" i d i i t b d d y r ? .... Byrd did it? REALLY?" I flail my arms out. Yes of course.. this stupid stupid game. I just want it to end. I want to get to my panels. My selfish streak takes over despite my shock that happened just moments ago.

"Okay, so the first death wasn't Byrd. Just done to make us think it was... all the 'clues' point to Byrd. So are we done with this? Are we just going to assume it's Byrd? What if it's a misdirect?

 

[Keyser Soze]

"Wait a minute...," the officer says, looking at the clues.

"What about this last one?"

I am darkness!
I am the night!
I am Batman!
Eight down, five to go. Two days to go. Hurry up

"Lotta red and blues in this one. Can it mean something?"
​

"Wait a minute..."

I stand up, staring down the detective, trying to look as intimidating as a man in fishnets can.

"I'm a foreigner, so I don't really know much about American law enforcement... but how often is it that a homicide detective is the first responding officer at the scene of a crime?"

He stares back at me, blank-faced and confused.

"Both times we've met you, you've just turned up at the scene of a murder, within minutes of the body being discovered, with no other back-up or police presence. And when the police showed up to cordon off the crime scene at the con, you drifted off. When I spent 12 hours at the station, it wasn't you who interviewed me. And you've never shown us your badge."

I smile apologetically, trying to make myself a little less confrontational. But still standing my ground.

"I'm sorry, I sound like a paranoid maniac. But I hope you understand us all feeling a little bit on edge given our current situation. So, humor me, please, detective. Let me see your badge and ID."

 

[Byrd Man]

"Wait a minute..."

I stand up, staring down the detective, trying to look as intimidating as a man in fishnets can.

"I'm a foreigner, so I don't really know much about American law enforcement... but how often is it that a homicide detective is the first responding officer at the scene of a crime?"

He stares back at me, blank-faced and confused.

"Both times we've met you, you've just turned up at the scene of a murder, within minutes of the body being discovered, with no other back-up or police presence. And when the police showed up to cordon off the crime scene at the con, you drifted off. When I spent 12 hours at the station, it wasn't you who interviewed me. And you've never shown us your badge."

I smile apologetically, trying to make myself a little less confrontational. But still standing my ground.

"I'm sorry, I sound like a paranoid maniac. But I hope you understand us all feeling a little bit on edge given our current situation. So, humor me, please, detective. Let me see your badge and ID."

"It's Officer," the man says as he shows his badge and ID. "And I'm the one asking the question. After all, I seem to be the only one here who isn't halfway insane. I don't answer to you or anyone, so let's get going downtown."

 

[wiegeabo]

OOC: Brazin-frazin-razin

 

[Batman]

This isn't happening.

Why would...

I don't...

Huh?

"We don't know anything."

I look up at the officer, dead serious.

"Honestly, you seem to know more than any of us do. I have proof and eyewitness testimony that I've never even been in California before now, so I don't know how the legal system works around here, but if you want to take us in right now and throw us in jail, you'd be doing us all a favor. Lock us all away from this psycho. I'm seriously begging you."

Placing my hands on my head, I start shaking.

"Just make it stop. Please, for the love of god."

 

[wiegeabo]

The officer tries to lead us out, but I plant my feet and refuse to budge. Enough is enough, and seeing my friend's dead bodies has made me hit my limit.

"Am I officially a suspect? Well...are we?" Before the officer can reply, I talk over him.

"Because if we're not suspects, then we don't have to do a damn thing you say or go anywhere with you. And if we are suspects, we still don't have to say anything to you or cooperate. All we have to do is ask for a lawyer and shut the hell up while you keep us down at the station, which, as MB points out, sounds like a pretty good alternative right now."

"Either way, you're going to start cooperating with us if you want us to cooperate with you anymore. You've got a department working on these murders, how about you clue us in on what you're people have found so far. And maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to help you a little more."

 

[twylight]

Wieg's speech wakes me up a bit. Yes, are we being formally arrested? Or are we just all 'persons of interest'? Oh man.. Dad's going to kill me.. being a POI is something he always comments on ruining your life if it happens to you.

I have to trust someone, but who? And why isn't this place 'swarming' with police right now?

 

[Keyser Soze]

So it looks like we're getting arrested, and no one is picking up on my Brynn ruse. Poor girl. Dropped her corpse down the garbage chute for nothing.

"To hell with this. I'm not going to some stinkin' jail dressed as a ****ty magician! I'm outta here!"

I jump to my feet and make a run for it. I make about three steps before I remember I'm wearing high heels. About the same time I keel over and faceplant on the hotel corridor.

"On second thoughts... I'll stay here."

 

[twylight]

I wince at Soze's fall. At least he adds levity? I turn back to the Officer who still hadn't answered Wieg's questions.

"Well, are we?"

 

[Byrd Man]

"Fine."

The detective looked around at the group and cleared his throat.

"I'm putting you all under arrest for suspicion of murder. Anything you say or do can be used against you in a court of law."

The officer goes to pull out a pair of handcuffs.

Suddenly, the lights in the hallway go black.

A scream cuts through the darkness.

The lights flicker back on and the police officer is laying on the floor, a knife stuck in his chest and a note stuck in his hand.

FUATHURIO
​