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When he finally pulled the bag off of Fin’s head, they started to yank at their bindings. They didn’t let themself look up—only to the side, where they realized they sat alone.
“Where are the others?” Fin demanded, looking up. They sucked in a breath when they realized who was in the room.
All of the Beach executives. Hatter, Aguni, Niragi, An, Chishiya, Last Boss, Kuzuryu, Mira. And—Arisu? They must have missed the window to warn him. The Beach wouldn’t have survived the Ten of Hearts without him, anyway. Fin certainly wasn’t planning to show.
“What others?” Hatter asked.
Fin ducked their head again. The fire had disappeared from their voice, leaving only smoke. “The ones I was staying with. Where are they?”
The person who had pushed them here shrugged. “Dead.”
They couldn’t stop the strangled sound that came from their lips. “What?”
“You just wanted the gaijin, yeah?” he said, directed to Hatter. “The rest were in the way.”
“Let’s not be rude to our guest,” Hatter said. “Gaikokujin.”
“That’s your problem with that?” Fin exclaimed, breaking off into English. “You killed my only friends in this—Godforsaken world—and you’re worried about the words he’s using?!” They turned their gaze to Kuzuryu and flipped back to Japanese. “Usa Asuka and Rin Yuki. You know, Usa was the one who saved you in Distance. And now she’s dead, because of you all. Are you just fine with that?!”
Kuzuryu kept a neutral expression. “People are dying every day.”
“There’s a difference between dying in a death game and being shot with a gun outside of one!”
They’d wish that the couple had run, but knew there weren’t any timelines where they would. Sweet Usa, who would try to save anyone she could, and elegant Rin, who would never leave Usa behind. Both of them who cared about Fin, and Fin who cared about them. And now they had left Fin behind. Alone, to deal with this Hell. Both of them, never able to see the real lights of Tokyo again!
“You rotting bastards, I’ll kill you all,” Fin said. They were shaking, they register idly, though whether that’s fear or anger they can’t quite tell anymore. “What do you want, anyway?!”
An stepped in front of them. She snapped close a notebook, and when Fin raised their head, dread washed through them. They knew that notebook. “Thank you, Yuu. Please leave.” It was the one they had written all of their notes about the canon of Alice in Borderland.
Fin waited for the door to close before speaking. “So. You’re the ones who took it. What do you need me for? It’s all in there.”
“It’s encoded,” An said. “Well, after the first few pages.”
“Huh? It’s…” Fin paused, and then giggled. “Mon dieu, vous pouvez pas parler le français. Oh, my god. It’s not even…” their shaking changed from a mixture of fear and anger to laughter. They switched to English. “Sorry, guys, this was a complete waste of your time! I can’t tell you shit. I’m utterly useless.”
They knew this already, from Seven of Hearts. Even with the words they had said, even with the advice to Arisu and the others— Karube, Chota, and Shibuki were still dead, the greenhouse was still burned down. They couldn’t change anything aside from small things. Maybe Chishiya had looked behind himself faster in Tag, but the same people were still dead.
No one was moving. There were too many eyes focused on them, and they couldn’t cover their face with their hands. They kept their head ducked.
“Here’s the thing—Ah, what’s your name?” Hatter asked, and Fin hestitated.
“Fin,” they replied. It’s French for ‘end’. It’s never felt so fitting. “Or Hin. If that’s easier.”
“Here’s the thing, Hin,” Hatter began, “From what we’ve gotten from your journal, you know a lot about this world. Things that no one was even present for—or, if they were, they’re dead. Chishiya here’s first game, for example.”
Chishiya lifted his hand in a wave. “You had near direct quotes, too. Albeit in English.” His gaze was cutting. Calculating. If they made it out of here, they wouldn’t be surprised if he approached them more privately. He surely had more questions.
“What I’m wondering,” Hatter continued, crouching into Fin’s field of vision, “is how you know all of this.”
Fin closed their eyes. “You won’t believe anything I have to say.”
“Well. Try.”
“I’m—” They paused. “I don’t know the word in Japanese. Citizen? Shimin, I think?” They looked up for Kuzuryu and Mira’s reaction. “I’m not a citizen, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“I think you’re looking for kokumin,” Mira said brightly. “And of course not. We all have visas, don’t we?”
Fin bit back a grin. “Sure we do.”
Mira and Kuzuryu were citizens. They did not have a ticking clock above their heads. They would not die upon failure in a game—for now. Once the face games started, then…
“What do you mean, citizen?” Hatter asked, and Fin’s eyes widened.
“Oh. You haven’t gotten there yet. O.K., well, before I ruin things even more, I’ll tell you this.” They switched to English. “I don’t know the future. I don’t have some magical knowledge. I know exactly one version of this timeline, and every time I say something about it, it changes out of my control. If I say too much, I won’t know what’s happening anymore.” Then, in Japanese, “I do know this Beach is bullshit. Entirely built on a lie.”
Hatter’s gaze shifted, and there was a brief pause while An translated what they had said in English.
“So you expect us to believe you’re some sort of time traveller?” Niragi laughed, and Fin tensed. “You’re right, this was a waste of time—”
“Collecting the cards won’t let one person out of the Borderlands,” Fin interrupted. The room fell still once more. “This country, I mean. You collect all of the cards—excluding the faces—and everyone playing gets to round two. There. That’s all I’ll tell you.”
Half of the group seemed surprised. Last Boss and Niragi’s faces were narrowed in anticipation. Aguni’s focus was entirely on Hatter. Kuzuryu was unexpressive, and Mira was smiling.
“I’ll keep some of your secrets,” Fin said. “Hatter, lean closer so I can—whisper.”
“Sasayaku,” An supplied.
“Sasayaku. C’mon, I can’t hurt you tied up.”
Hatter hesitated, and then moved closer.
“I know you were lying about your sources. I know you made the card collection thing up. But you were pretty close to the truth. Which is funny enough, isn’t it?”
Hatter pulled away. Loudly, he said, “That’s not true. I guess your information isn’t as accurate as we thought.” He laughed. He studied Fin. “Do you want to join the Beach?”
“The other option is death, hm?” Fin said. They actually considered. “Even then… not really.” Why bother, when Usa and Rin were already dead? Why bother, when they couldn’t really change anything?
Hatter sighed. Disappointment. “Alright.” He stood and waved a hand. “Do whatever you want to do. Kuzuryu, come with me.”
Fin braced themself once they were gone, only for Niragi to say to Aguni, “Do you believe any of this? Some random knows all of that?”
Fin met Aguni’s eyes.
“Yes,” he said. “I do.”