Work Text:
Otto has spent long enough locked away in his lab that it's no longer a conscious effort to tune out the various hisses and beeps that sound out at all times. Every sound has it's place- even this one.
He added it when he first developed the thinkerprint. Call it paranoia, call it a manifestation of control issues- whatever you call it, Otto calls it useful. An automated alert that goes up whenever any of the Psychic 7's thinkerprints are scanned, letting him know at all times who is where and what they're doing.
The alert doesn't sound often, now. Helmet and Lucy are dead, Ford is at Whispering Rock, Cassie is god knows where and Compton rarely if ever leaves his psychoisolation chamber. That's probably the only reason he doesn't automatically tune it out- to novelty.
He'll spend the rest of his life grateful that he didn't miss it.
Still, even with it's rarity it takes him longer than he would ever admit to respond to it. He sets down his latest project with a sigh- maybe if he swaps the wire with a longer one, but there might not be enough room in the casing, might as well make the whole thing bigger but this is the third time he's had to do that and it's starting to get unmanageable- and rolls his chair over to the computer that has been beeping steadily for hours now. Probably just Compton making one of his rare trips out- he did hear from his own intern that Compton has someone assigned to him, so perhaps that. And of course with Sam interning here as well- quite a few reasons for Compton to leave.
He ignores the stab of hope that thought brings him and turns his attention to the computer. Exactly as he expected- a scan from Compton, exiting Psychoisolation. He begins to scroll, curious what could draw him out.
Ford Cruller. Bowling Alley.
Ford Cruller. Mail Room Office.
Ford Cruller. Ford's Hair Salon.
Oh. That would certainly do it. Ford is supposed to be at Whispering Rock right now, safe in the hands of Agents Vodelo and Nein but with the summer over and both agents back at headquarters it's not unreasonable that Ford is back. Still, he usually stays over the winter. Perhaps the incident with Truman made everyone a little more cautious. He scrolls a little farther. Perhaps Compton leaving isn't a coincidence, then- perhaps he wanted to try and speak with Ford. Good. More interaction can only due Compton good… even if Ford isn't at his best.
Otto can't stop the punched-out sound of shock he makes at the next set of notifications.
It can't be real. It's an impossibility.
Helmut Fullbear, deceased. Mail Room Office Entrance.
Helmut Fullbear, deceased. Mail Room Office Exit.
Helmut Fullbear, deceased. Lobby Entrance.
Helmut Fullbear, deceased. Lobby Exit.
It takes every ounce of his willpower and emotional control to not have a panic attack on the spot. As is, his thoughts are racing and bouncing all over the place. This isn't possible. Helmut is dead, he's been dead for 20 years, entombed in ice that might still be stained with blood from their efforts to rescue him.
Wait.
Oh, God.
Otto tumbles out of his chair, scrambling to the Brainframe and praying that his thought was wrong. He flicks through the menu desperately, pausing in grief and horror as his suspicion is confirmed.
Heptadome Harry: Removed from Brainframe 5 hours ago by Razputin Aquato
He doesn't have the strength to remain standing. He slides to the floor, a familiar numb grief spreading through his body. Oh, Otto can't be certain of anything right now but a very miserable picture is starting to form in his mind, and he'd bet a million dollars that he's correct.
20 years. He's let Helmut just sit and rot for 20 fucking years in the Brainframe. It takes a moment to realize that the high-pitched sound echoing in his ears is coming from his own throat, a desperate and miserable keening. Why hadn't he bothered? He's had 20 years to check, to see who exactly it was that he was putting in the frame. Helmut's been here in his fucking lab for 20 fucking years and not once did Otto think to- to-
He shutters and forces his emotions down. Not now. God, not now. He stands on shaky legs and starts to prepare himself. If Compton and Ford are both in the Motherlobe, if Helmut is back, there's only one place that everyone will go. Compton will want to get Cassie, and Helmut's first thought is going to be Bob. Ford is going to follow to make sure neither of them do anything stupid- or maybe they'll drag him along to make sure Ford's not the one doing anything stupid, nowadays. Either way, everyone is heading to the Gulch.
Everyone is going home.
Time for him to join them.