Welcome to Gaia! ::

They walked a little longer, with the lady still quite out of range; she was on her cellphone now talking to someone but at least she wasn't following them, busy now walking the other direction while staring into the horizon.

Carl kept on glancing looks at her as they continued to walk until they were well out of sight. He then turned his gaze curiously to the well packaged box. "What's in the box?"

Hilariously, he didn't know he had said quite a popular, if not possibly appropriate meme.

Despite the rather terrible day and not-so-good time with Shu, he was more than happy to oblige, curiously unfolding the lid of the box. Indeed, there were six beautiful, hand-crafted donuts, with a little card that explained each flavour such as "bacon rum" or "french vanilla apple pie". They all sounded very nice and very expensive.

Carl flipped over the card. "What's the 'Sorry' on the back for?"

The donut was exotic was the best description, a burst of flavour that made anything obtained on island quite literal trash.

"Why is Mark- nevermind." He suddenly said, which was probably for the better all things considered. "Do the donuts taste good?"

They continued to walk pretty steadily back to the main Deus hub, making good progress, and Carl didn't stop until he was at the base of one of the gate-wall exits. "Are we giving the rest to Mark?" He was genuinely curious as well as he had no idea why someone would come all the way to meet up with them just to hand over a dessert that they could have given directly. Maybe it was a bad breakup and this was a consolation prize.

Carl tilted his head to one side in question, mostly because he had no clue what the word 'introspection' meant. "No thanks, I don't like sweets." He didn't not agree with Shu though; Mark had been, well, negligent was a good word.

"Maybe we should just give him one though," he said a little nervously, "I don't want anyone to get upset."

"Sure, but who's Jordan?" He had picked up his pace again, and they were now nearing the main headquarters, and he pulled out a cellphone he apparently had just been keeping the entire time and looked down at it. "Maybe we should check on Mark first, he hasn't texted me at all this hour, maybe he's dead."

This is what happens when people skip an entire generation of instant messaging.

And now Carl was imagining literal tagging, like tagging rescued wild animals to release back in the ocean. He didn't now Mark was an rescue animal enthusiast though - "What's a padawan?" It sounded like a dessert.

He spent quite a while thinking about Mark's new hobby and perhaps underestimating the guy (maybe that explained the smell) until they reached the Death division office -

- And he stopped at the doorway.

The entire office had been upturned, desk emptied with the exception of a few papers. In the distance, if he was paying attention, there was also a fire happening in a wing close to the Life labs, and unknown to them, a third one in the Lighthouse. Mark lay on the ground, in a pool of blood, unconscious.

Carl just froze up and then turned to Shu. "Is this normal?"

Shu didn't explain what a Padawan to Carl but asked if he had watched Star Wars before. The conversation was interrupted by the need to check Rep's texts.



As Rep sent her a few texts at once, she sensed the panic tone in the hunter. "Rep says we need to use those donuts as evidence." She trotted to catch up Carl in the front but a shocking scene awaited her.

"Oh no!" She exclaimed nervously. The office looked like a gang of robbers broke in and made a mess, a hint of finding something eagerly. She glanced from left to right and finally stared at the Death Assistant in a pool of blood.

She was stiffed for a few seconds before Carl snapped her back into reality. "NO. IT'S NOT. WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" She ran towards Mark, the blood slowly dyed her nice clothes. The Spectre watch that remained idle finally came to its usage, she scanned Mark for any injuries while gently shaking his body. "Uncle Mark, wake up, wake up!"

There was a hesitation and a fear brushed across her face before she checked his pulse. What Mimi taught her became practical under such moment. The petite Death didn't stop calling with her shaky voice, "Don't sleep, we need you!" She took a chance to beckon Carl. "Stay near me until Rep comes, okay? I'll protect you in case we encounter foes."

Rep had gone all over looking for Carl and Shu, finally getting tipped off that someone had seen them going to Mark's office.

He showed up not to long after.

"Are you guys all right?" he said, looking concerned, noticing Mark. "Mark?"