Flip the Coin [BL]-Chapter 451. Resolved and Signed

Henry’s POV

The more time passed, the more incredulous not only the white coats became but also the state attorney, which was clear with the former’s whispers and the latter’s unhappy remarks for them to be silent.

They made it so damn obvious that they had never thought we would go through with this in the first place.

I would have had problems containing my laughter at their behavior if I wasn’t first waiting in agony for an answer from Kenny and later waiting again because he ominously wrote for me to wait.

Then finally, another message came.

Kenny <3<3<3 <3: [They are in fact; they have colors. Our Doctor Lawrence and gothic girl are there as well. She saw my eyes; she told me to come this way.]

I reread the message multiple times, my worry and fear increasing with each word and with the fact that writing me such a message meant that Kenny was impaired somehow, or worse, injured.

I opened the chat window with Ethan and messaged him to instantly find a reason to send me out, away from the eyes of everyone inside the hall.

I couldn’t turn around to see if he checked his phone, so I contemplated whether to just walk out myself, past the military people the state attorney had brought, who were still standing guard at the main door of the warehouse.

But then another message came,

Kenny <3<3<3<3: [Here is Staff Sergeant Sean McAlister. I am writing on Kenneth’s behalf.]

I felt my stomach sink.

Henry (Kenny’s Puppy): [What is going on? Is he injured? Does he have a nosebleed?

I knew I was deluding myself, because a simple nosebleed wouldn’t be enough to stop him from writing me.

Kenny <3<3<3<3: [He has vomited blood and has a fever; the doctor is taking care of him. He told me to convey the following:]

The message ended, and the dots jumped for a long while.

Vomited blood... he vomited blood.

He never told me that this was a side effect when flipping the violet coin; did he hide it?

Did something else happen, or was I conjuring so many things up and then flipping the violet coin too much? Well, OBVIOUSLY it was too much, but was that the reason he was in this bad of a shape??

Though there was another possibility, I clenched my jaw, thinking of the maestro while staring at the dots jumping without any concern for my raging impatience.

Should I teleport back home on the spot?

I knew this whole operation was too early; not long ago, he had to deal with the zombies and his shattered mind, and now he overexerted himself again.

It’s my fault; I should have instantly stopped him.

I should have told him it was too much; I should have restrained him with force if necessary. What does this whole ’teamwork’ thing matter when half of the team was always ruining his health?

WHAT AM I DOING HERE BY NOT BEING BESIDE HIM??

I was ready to teleport when the message was finally sent.

Kenny <3<3<3<3: ["Tonight, our Dr. Lawrence, they have collars. Henry can’t go alone; tell him to wake me up.]

The message didn’t end there, but only two words reverberated in my mind when I saw him asking to be woken up for the next dumb and unnecessary mission: ABSOLUTELY NOT.

[The Maestro—tell him the Maestro makes spaces.]

I nearly cursed out loud; I had my suspicions regarding the matter already, but hearing him speak about that now meant only one thing: he had been there.

[I made a space with the zombies, and so does he. I saw the Maestro’s memories; planes fell from the sky.]

The message ended there, but it shouldn’t have been all, as the damn dots continued to jump.

He was there, but not only that; he somehow confronted the Maestro directly.

I already suspected something like the space theory; it was the only possible conclusion, given the strange ’world’ we suddenly had been in and then were able to exit.

Kenny couldn’t teleport so many people, and in this world, there had been no other lifeforms; the world was literally limited by black walls that came closer. I have neither seen such a world myself nor have I read about something like this in the commander’s files.

And given the fantastical situations the maestro had created with all his counterparts in them, it was only natural to also think of them as manmade space.

Regarding the memories of the Maestro—I couldn’t care less, with the exception that this meant Kenny had to see airplanes crashing, which was surely not something pleasant to look at.

Another motherfucker so eager, so willing, so forthcoming to be targeted, and when I had the chance, to be killed by me.

Though Kenny had to kill the counterparts, he did have a link with himself, or it could further harm his psyche.

FUCK.

Another message came.

["I calmed down by myself; tell Henry that. I nearly freaked out but calmed down by myself."]

All the hatred fell off of me, and I was swept away by sadness, longing, and awe.

You did so well, Kenny. Like always. So, so well.

I pressed my lips together again, getting the urge to scream out loud.

["It was alright again." That was all; he seemed to have fallen asleep.]

I texted back,

Henry (Kenny’s Puppy): [Did he fall asleep or lose consciousness?]

He replied that the doctor said he just fell asleep.

I felt a bit more relieved and asked if he was getting an IV, if he had received something for the fever, and how his blood had been dealt with, as well as if there were no other injuries.

The answer was yes to everything, with the exception of the last question—there were no more injuries.

I again asked how his blood had been dealt with, but the staff sergeant only answered THAT it had been dealt with, not speaking more about it.

Unhappy, I asked if it was somewhere the rats could smell it, and the staff sergeant answered with, ’...no.’

I closed my eyes in annoyance while getting another message from Ethan, asking me to stay put, as we were soon finished and wouldn’t want to raise their suspicion by having someone suddenly leave.

Should I just kill the state attorney and everyone he brought with him today?

In the end, I decided to finally answer the staff sergeant, telling him that I understood, that we were soon done, and that he would soon be free.

And that he had to let Kenny know that, should he wake up.

When the staff sergeant said he understood, I made sure that the volume on my phone was on silent before making a video call.

The staff sergeant answered promptly but didn’t show me Kenny.

I made a small, very impatient hand gesture, pointing to the side where I thought Kenny was, and finally, the staff sergeant turned the camera, showing me what I wanted to see.

Kenny lay there weakly with the kid beside him.

He seemed okay; the rising and falling of his chest was clearly transmitted in this video call.

I didn’t even blink while staring, trying to convince my body and mind that he was okay.

I hate it.

Why are you constantly doing this to me?

I hate seeing you like this.

I don’t care about the others. Please just stop caring as well.

This had to be the last time; if he surprised me again by vomiting blood or something similar... I wouldn’t let it simply pass.

Though I won’t this time either.

The staff sergeant held the phone for some time, and seeing that I had no intention of ending the video call, he eventually put the phone on a chair, letting me have a full view of Kenny.

See? Only like this can I be sure that you are safe.

Only by constantly watching over you.

If I ever locked him up, I had to make sure that it was in a place with plenty of cameras.

The whitecoats had continued their work, FINALLY saying out loud that there were even more than five hundred thousand rat corpses in full, given that they hadn’t even crossed the whole hall, which I noted by slightly turning my head.

There were a few moments of silence as everybody present seemed to be overwhelmed by the sheer impossibility that had been presented in front of them when Ethan finally spoke.

"Mr. Howard is indeed exceptional when saving humans and killing fiends. I really am happy to be on his side... as a fellow human." His voice sharpened at the end as if he were giving a silent warning.

The state attorney just hummed but didn’t say anything more.

I heard a leather bag opening and paper rustling.

"Then if the gentlemen would be so polite... It had been a long day for everyone." It couldn’t be any clearer.

HURRY THE FUCK UP.

The state attorney hummed blankly again, and I heard the sound of a pen scratching against the paper.

I closed my eyes.

We did it, Kenny.

I promised you, and although you were the most contributing part, I was able to help you.

After taking your freedom, you now have it back again.

The signing alone took about twenty minutes, with the witnesses signing along.

"I trust that the matter of Mr. Howard and Mr. Devin’s innocence has now been resolved," Ethan said.

Judge Kroh agreed.

"They are free..." The state attorney closed the pen loudly as if to accentuate his words.

"And I hope they will register themselves tomorrow; the city will naturally take their abilities into account when dividing them into workplaces." It was the last petty straw of a man thirsting to expire.

"WHY SHOULD THEY? WHY DO THEY NEED THE STATE’S FOOD IF THEY HAVE ME???" Mrs. Howard roared, her voice echoing through the warehouse.

Ethan spoke instantly, as if trying to divert the attention from the old lady’s outburst.

"How is this possible? The city is in unrest. As far as I am informed, there is no work and food exchange. The government seems unable to even provide water." The last part was a clear jab.

"You haven’t heard? The ’terrorists’ have been dealt with. Everything will continue just like before. And as an able-bodied man, Mr. Hendricks should also report tomorrow, or all three of you will be arrested." He smugly announced it, announced it as if it was his damn city.

Ethan soon regained his composure.

"We will need a few days. Preparing all this..." He paused, and when I turned around, I saw him spreading his arms.

"...was quite exhausting for everyone."

"No matter; I understand," the state attorney answered.

"You have four days; oh, then it is coincidentally Monday. Perfect to start work."

I soon saw his figure passing by me and the white coats following. They seemed ready to leave, and with every fiber of my body, I was chanting for them to do just that, or die—dying would be even better.

However, he stopped in front of the door, the people behind him parting so that his figure was revealed.

"Regarding the rat corpses, please store them for us; I will call you when we are ready to retrieve them."

Ethan hummed and said his goodbye, while Mrs. Howard snorted loudly.

In the end, they were gone, but nobody here moved until we saw all the cars leave as well.

"EVERYONE CAN GO HOME!" Mrs. Howard bellowed in the end, and the black-clothed people beside me did just that.

I twirled around and walked hurriedly to Ethan.

"It’s finished?"

He proudly nodded,

"Not only that—"

Before he could continue, I whisked out a few containers with rats and threw them on the floor, where the cameras were able to capture them.

"I’ll go first," I said, letting the acid spread through my body.