▼ 12:15 pm
Area 6, Outer Ring
Cargo Lift
WE had hope until then. The cargo lift we finally found after all our searching is supposed to be the only escape route from this death trap of a facility. But the control panel that operates it has already been destroyed—almost like it was intentionally broken. In the place of our crushed hopes we find the remains of a mysterious girl none of us know.
Everyone is dazed by this completely unexpected turn of events.
Tachibana stumbles over to the girl’s body. “I-I must…check her vitals…” She removes the Vital Checker from her wrist and wraps it around the girl’s. All five lights turn deep red. That’s likely a sign the person is dead. Tachibana lays the girl on the floor as she orders, “Moribe, give me a hand. I’m going to perform CPR.”
“O-Okay.” Moribe hurriedly sits down next to the girl.
Tachibana performs cardiac massage fifteen times. Moribe performs artificial respiration two times.
The girl doesn’t respond. Incapable of helping, I watch over them in a haze.
Fifteen compressions. Two rescue breaths.
Fifteen more compressions. Two more rescue breaths.
Still, the girl doesn’t respond.
Ukita crouches down beside her and sadly announces, “…You’re wasting your time. She’s long dead….”
The two rescue workers continue performing CPR regardless.
Fifteen compressions. Two rescue breaths.
Fifteen more compressions. Two more rescue breaths.
Fifteen more compressions. Two more rescue breaths.
Eventually, Tachibana’s watch alarm goes off.
“Hey, Tachibana! It’s time to administer AD!” She ignores me too. It’s almost like she can’t hear or see anyone else. “Tch!”
I let her continue while I pull out the AD and inject myself first. I administer injections to both Miss Ena and Yuuri next. Yuuri always fights us when it comes time for hers, but she’s in so much shock, she lets me do it without a peep.
“Come on, Tachibana! Inject yourself!”
Tachibana is muttering something under her breath that’s not in response to me. I strain my ears to pick up on that breathless voice. “Don’t you die on me, Nagisa!”
Moribe sharply inhales when she makes out what Tachibana muttered. “S-Sis, this girl isn’t Nagisa…!”
Who’s Nagisa? I’m full of questions after hearing that unfamiliar name. Tachibana relentlessly performs CPR without listening to anyone.
Moribe grabs her by the shoulders and yells, “Lieutenant! Stop it already!”
“Ah!” Tachibana finally stops. She darts her eyes around the lift as if she’s just come back to her senses. After a moment of silence, she looks at me and murmurs, “…I’m very sorry, Captain. I did everything I could, but she is dead.”
Tachibana’s voice and face are devoid of life. Terror ices my spine. “T-Tachibana…are you all right?”
“I apologize for worrying you. I am well now.” Her assertive tone is so severe it rejects any further questions.
For a few minutes there, Tachibana was definitely not acting like herself. Her attitude rebuffs any attempts at prying into why.
At any rate, there’s one thing that’s been made clear here—another person has died on my watch!
Hope turned to despondence, we depart the cargo lift room, leaving the girl’s remains where we found them.