Answering the Call

## Characters Involved

* Niccolo Salinas
* Savannah
* Finley
* Ferris
* Chaison
* Fletcher Vireo
* Gagan
* Felicity Vireo
* Ice
* Rayne
* Ilya
* Tyflos

## Event

Felicity starts by continuing the meeting from The Reckoning. Felicity is the one to call into the crowd and explain that they're not here to bicker, they came to talk. She's panicking at the time but forces herself to the front of the room. If Fletcher hadn't need this, she wouldn't have helped. But she defends Fletcher up there regardless. She reads his lab report aloud to everyone and how Fletcher has only achieved dormancy. She argues the danger of using things no one knows what will happen. She starts to panic more though and gets stage fright.

Ferris is pleased that Gagan and Fletcher are gone and reasons he was right because it was a necessary evil. It's fine because he just said facts, though after awhile, he does wonder if he did what was truly right. He agrees with Felicity and that they should all be above death threats and should want decency. He wants a list of those who will sign up for the cure trials and that everything should be well documented. Felicity is inwardly not amused by Ferris, snorting at why now he finds personal attacks bad. She then calls him out on this. She wonders if he's so bold because Fletcher isn't there to take his beating now. Felicity wishes Fletcher was there as she has no idea how to handle the situation and she inwardly expresses her doubts about everything, wondering how bad the reversal would hurt given it would make her lose her wings. They would have nothing for the pain. Felicity stays Fletcher's PR team before she's relieved with Fletcher and Gagan finally return and she can stop being grilled. She looks very nervous and like she had barely managed, though she is glaring at Ferris along with Finley. Fletcher also noticed Niccolo, his fur patched and bristling while his tail nervously swayed. Fletcher doesn't think he looks much like a leader. He looked ready to flee if he didn't also look chained to his desk by something else.

Niccolo, now fully seeing Gagan and the looks, sympathizes with Gagan. He understands the feeling and what it was like to be ridiculed. Niccolo thinks about memories, Morgan, his interactions with Kiemo and how he had screwed over both of them and let both of them down. He'd found himself in chaos in response and though he tried finding happiness, he had only made things worse. This is and was all his fault. He's responsible for each look of suspicion. He sees himself as one of the harbingers of everything wrong with this academy and he an only taste blood and death on his tongue. Niccolo winces that with one of the escaped missing in his sight and that he'd left Gagan and the others to that fate. He knowingly told Fletcher that Gagan was dead. He wanted it to be the case. To believe that like Morgan, people just died. That's how it was. That's how they stayed safe and how they accepted their safer fates. But he couldn't believe it. Not with the list of the Missing in his possession. He knew where they all were. Glancing at Savannah, and then at each member who would hate him for what he said, he turns on the projector. He lets the list be reflected as he hunches over, not looking at anyone.

He didn't deserve to defend this.

He wasn't a leader.

He never was.

This.

This was his reckoning.

Fletcher is the first to meet Niccolo's gaze, Fletcher only finding regret and an apology there. Fletcher wonders if at first it's for Niccolo making a mess of everything or for letting the accusations happen. Then Fletcher sees the names of Sofi and then Cynthia. Eventually he finds Gagan's name and shivers. He realizes Niccolo had known all along. Fletcher wonders how and almost falls but Felicity catches and supports him. Fin is the only one who doesn't look surprised, his eyes only dim with understanding, as if one of his theories was just confirmed. Niccolo continues trying to explain and as he does, he feels like a disappointed Zakra is watching him. Niccolo realizes he was foolish to think he could pull off being a leader twice. He tells the group that none of his feelings have changed. He still wants the group to escape alive. They've seen more than enough die each and every day. He thought as a unit they could survive and have a shot at happiness. He confesses to thinking that it wasn't going to last. People were taken and he found the list. He knew where they were after Morgan had died. He searched everywhere for him but stumbled only upon the old labs. He claims he found the list there and that he couldn't send people to their deaths. It was better if only he knew. Niccolo almost flinches beneath Fletcher's stare. Fletcher reasons Niccolo knew when he told Fletcher that Gagan was dead. Fletcher assumes Niccolo thought Fletcher would die searching for Gagan. Fletcher can't even refute is with how distraught he was but still feels betrayed.

Ferris also feels betrayed by this and argues that there's no hierarchy, just that Niccolo seemed best to lead. He also demands to know why Niccolo kept this hidden. Why he, of all things, hid what he knew about missing kids. That Niccolo doesn't know they would die and that Niccolo was just being foolish when as a group they could've come together to find a solution. Niccolo only claims to have his reasons. He reasons that if he had said anything thing, many would've risked themselves trying to reach the labs. He promised to protect them. Niccolo takes a deep breath and continues, announcing his departure. He's shown himself to be a leader they don't want and he understands that. Fletcher questions his departure while Felicity doubts it. Niccolo though claims he's serious. With another leader, they'll venture into the labs and people will die. He can't stomach that, this is to be his final meeting. Savannah, who had been quiet for awhile, finally speaks but only Niccolo's name. She can't bring herself to respond further.

Niccolo tells the group they can hate him as much as they like, but Savannah is their new leader and will be for awhile. Niccolo claims to have other things to attend to and requests a final word with Savannah. She agrees, asking if she gets an explanation when they're alone. Niccolo gives a bit of one, stating that Savannah deserves one. He claims that he had Fin look into something, a group determined to kill Kiemo. Niccolo tells her that he realized something important when they both went with Kiemo to save Red. The whispering between him and Kiemo inspired this and now Niccolo can't let him get away with it. He can't let Kiemo keep hurting people. At what point does he say enough is enough? This was the only way to keep Kiemo's attention from the group and to keep his promise. At least like this, the group gets to know part of the truth. And no one will be in a hurry to come looking for him. Savannah is surprised by this information and doesn't think killing Kiemo is a good idea, worrying about Red and the anarchy of the group if Kiemo died. She asks if Fin knows the details about the kill Kiemo group. Niccolo only confesses to Kiemo telling him a veiled threat and that Kiemo's gone too far. With how he killed researchers, what's to stop him? Niccolo can't run far here so it's the best he can do. He also confirms that Fin is under and oath of secrecy. If Savannah is worried about Red, he suggests asking him to switch groups, noting it won't be easy but it's dangerous being close to Kiemo.

Savannah still doesn't see his point, arguing Kiemo's always been dangerous. But she does agree he'd do anything to kill anyone in his way. She slowly accepts why Niccolo chooses to leave. Savannah also thinks about using Red's closeness to Kiemo to manipulate Kiemo and use against him. She also tells Niccolo that Red won't leave Kiemo and that she tried to convince him to leave but he refused. She's very worried about the aftermath. Niccolo tells her that he doubts Kiemo actually plans to leave this place and is just telling his members that. Something to make them agreeable. They're no further than their own group. Only thing is Kiemo would kill a member for disagreeing with him. Niccolo asks Savannah would would happen if that was Red. Niccolo says that he might not be able to save him from the other group and that Savannah can't let him stay with Kiemo's group. Niccolo can't fully give his warning as Gagan interrupts, though before, Savannah also thinks Niccolo is sounding little better than Kiemo himself. Savannah hopes that Gagan is there to rip Niccolo a new one.

Gagan, when he gets the chance, asks Niccolo why he didn't talk to him after he returned. He understands what Niccolo told Fletcher and the rest of the group as much as he knows Fletcher wouldn't want to hear it. But Gagan knows Niccolo has been to the labs and probably saw him there, eventually asking Niccolo how he knew. Niccolo is intimidated. still arguing he's nothing like Kiemo as he isn't a murderer and knows he won't become him. He is leaving to protect his group, Kiemo would never. But when he thinks about what Gagan says, he explains he knows the labs as he was there looking for something he'll never find. He confirms he saw Gagan a few times but knew he could do nothing for him. He couldn't send Fletcher or himself to his death so he said nothing. He then stresses the importance of connections and how far they'll get someone. Savannah pulls back and argues Niccolo is like Kiemo as he's willing to endanger her brother to kill Kiemo. She asks if he really thinks he can kill Kiemo without putting anyone else in danger. Gagan further grills him about being in the labs so often. He tells Niccolo he was welded into his cage and stuck in silence. He warns him not to play dumb. Niccolo holds firm on Kiemo being a danger because of his carnage with the researchers and that he could do nothing for Gagan even if he wanted to. Savannah, hurt, tells him she used to trust him but Niccolo makes that really hard. She asks if he knows that. He only knows half truths, giving in and just telling him to do what he wants. She does accuse him further when he mentions he never got reliable information from the labs but kept going back. Niccolo is firm on not giving false hope or messing with hope and that he needed time to study his information. Niccolo argues he was damned regardless. He tells family members and friends, they'd torture themself looking or end up experiments. He could only eliminate so much bloodshed and he eventually apologizes one final time before leaving forever.

Niccolo pops up in one of Ilya's meeting as a new member who carries with him a plan to kill Kiemo.