The University Garden — Early Morning
Leo is still running.
He doesn't stop until he hits the university gates, doubles over, hands on his knees, gasping.
"...Damn. I almost died."
He drops onto the nearest bench in the campus garden and closes his eyes.
The Next Morning
"Leo."
He opens his eyes. Son is crouched in front of him. George, Johnny and Gowin standing behind him.
Leo sits up slowly, blinking.
"Guys..."
"You slept out here?" Son asks.
"He was in my house last night."
Nobody speaks.
"Moster," Johnny says.
"Yeah." Leo runs a hand over his face. "He showed up in the TV. Called my name. Asked me if I was alone. When I ran for the door I saw him in the mirror — right behind me. Red eyes. Blade already up." He exhales hard. "I screamed and ran. Didn't stop until I got here."
Son lets out a slow breath.
"Thank God you're alive."
"Guys," Johnny says. "Come to my place tomorrow."
"Why?" George asks.
"I've been digging into this. Turns out Moster has been around for three years — there were killings before us too. I'm still going through everything but I'll be done by tomorrow. Come see what I've got."
"We're there," Son says.
"Yeah."
"Okay."
"We'll be there."
Jason appears from around the corner with his crew, spots them immediately.
"Yo, look at these losers. Come on boys — let's have some fun."
Taiga sighs.
"Why though?"
"Shut up Taiga. Not this time. Let's go."
Jason's crew falls in behind him as he strolls over.
"Son. And the b*tch."
"What do you want, Jason," Gowin says flatly.
"Get out of here," George says. "You lowlife."
Jason pulls out his knife.
"I'll kill every last one of—"
Son picks up a rock off the ground and throws It directly into Jason's face.
It connects.
Jason stumbles back, hand flying to his face.
Then turns and walks away fast, his crew scrambling after him.
Gowin watches them go.
"Good throw, Son. He's gone."
"I'm gonna use the bathroom real quick," Gowin says. "Be right back."
"Okay."
The Lab — Shortly After
Gowin washes her hands, steps into the hallway — and notices the lights flickering down the corridor.
She glances through the window of the science lab.
Steps inside.
She picks up a funnel from the counter, turns it over in her hands, and smiles to herself.
"I remember this… I used to love science when I was little."
The lights cut out.
Complete darkness.
"...Seriously?"
She takes a slow step backward —
And touches someone.
She spins around —
The lights snap back on.
Moster.
Right in front of her.
The blade drives into her stomach before she can move.
Gowin screams — blood rising in her throat, spilling from her lips.
"...Go to hell," she chokes out.
She staggers back, grabs the funnel with both hands, and smashes it across Moster's face as hard as she can.
"AHHH—"
She runs. Hand pressed hard against her stomach, blood pouring through her fingers, legs pushing through the pain.
Moster gives chase —
Then vanishes.
Reappears directly in her path.
Gowin goes down hard.
She looks up from the floor, breathing ragged —
Moster reaches up slowly.
And pulls the mask off.
"...Hello, b*tch."
Jason's face.
Gowin stares up at him, blood on her lips, eyes wide.
"You son of a b*tch."
The Lab — Continued
"You're going to die, Jason," Gowin says from the floor, hand pressed to her stomach.
Jason crouches down in front of her, grinning wide.
"Hahahaha. You all treated me like I was stupid. Like I was crazy. And now?" He spreads his arms. "I'm going to kill every single one of you."
"I'm telling them," Gowin says.
"Only if I don't kill you first."
"Go to hell."
The Hallway — Same Time
Jason walks with his crew, pressing two fingers to the side of his head.
"Ugh — my head. That punk Son hit me with a rock. Hard."
He turns —
And Moster is standing at the other end of the hallway.
Gowin's eyes go wide.
"...What?"
Moster goes still for a single second.
"...Damn. I've been exposed."
He reaches up and puts the mask back on.
Gowin stares from where she's still on the ground, blood soaking through her shirt.
"He can change his appearance," she breathes. "He can look like anyone."
Moster turns back toward her and moves In —
Gowin plants both hands on the floor and shoves herself up hard.
She draws back and drives her fist directly into Moster's face with everything she has.
Moster staggers back.
Gowin runs.
Through the hallway, through the doors, out of the building — and doesn't stop until she hits the group outside.
"Guys—" She doubles over, gasping. "Moster — he attacked me—"
"Oh my God—" Johnny grabs her arm.
"I'm getting the first aid kit," George says immediately, already moving. "Right now."
"Be careful," Gowin calls after him.
"I'll go with him," Leo says. "So he's not alone."
"Both of you be careful. Seriously."
They take off together.
Gowin steadies herself and looks at Son.
"Listen — I thought It was Jason. He had the mask off and It was his face. But then Jason showed up in the hallway with his crew — and Moster was standing there too. Same time. Different place."
She swallows hard.
"He can be anybody, Son. He made me think he was Jason. But Jason was somewhere else the whole time. Moster put his mask back on and came at me again — I punched him and ran."
Son stares at her.
Then looks around slowly at the students moving through the campus around them. Every face. Every stranger.
"So that means..." His voice drops low.
"Yeah," Gowin says.
"Anyone around us could be Moster."
Outside — The Group Reunited
George and Leo return with the first aid kit. Johnny crouches down and carefully closes Gowin's wound, wrapping it tight.
Gowin winces.
"...Thanks."
"Don't thank me," Johnny says. "We protect each other. That's it."
Gowin fills George and Leo in on everything — Jason's face on Moster, then Jason appearing elsewhere, Moster putting the mask back on, all of it.
George exhales hard.
"Damn. So he really can be anybody."
Leo goes quiet for a moment.
Then —
"...What if it's Johnny?"
Johnny looks up.
"Why me specifically?"
"Because you showed up out of nowhere," Leo says. "You appear and immediately tell us Moster came after you in the bathroom. What's your proof that you didn't kill Emma Kane and then walk over to us?"
"Then why couldn't It be YOU?"
"Because I'm with Son every single day."
"He's right," Son says. "Leo's always with me. But Leo — when Gina was killed, Johnny was with us the whole time."
"Then what about Gowin?"
Gowin stares at him.
"...Me?"
"Yeah, you," Leo says. "You're the only one who was happy about Gina dying. You were with her in the bathroom. And none of us knew you before Emma was killed."
"And what exactly is my motive for killing all of you?"
"Because you're a—"
Gowin's eyes fill with tears.
She stands up and walks away without another word.
George turns on Leo immediately.
"Bro. You went way too far. She's literally sitting there with a stab wound."
"What's the proof she didn't stab herself?"
"Leo—"
"Even if your logic has a point," Son cuts in, "I trust Gowin."
"I don't trust anyone anymore," Leo says. "Not after all this."
"He's not wrong," Johnny says quietly. "About the trust part. Any one of us could theoretically be the killer. That's just the reality we're In."
Something hits Son hard from behind.
"BOO!"
Son flies off the bench, stumbles, spins around —
A guy stands there laughing. 6 feet tall, well built, sharp jaw, blue eyes, dirty blonde hair swept to both sides, pale skin, and the kind of face that makes people look twice.
Son catches his breath —
And then laughs despite himself.
"Andrew. What is wrong with you, bro."
"My bad, my bad," Andrew grins. "How you been, Son? It's been a minute."
"Yeah, it has."
Leo squints.
"Who's this?"
"This is Andrew Cain," Son says. "My boy since we were kids."
Andrew turns to the group with an easy smile.
"What's good, everybody."