Monte woke to the soft brush of Sara's lips against his neck.
He smiled, groaning slightly as he wrapped his arms around her. Sara giggled quietly, her laughter low and warm against his chest.
Then, the door opened.
Monte barely had time to yank the blanket up over them.
Kenny froze in the doorway, eyes wide before he coughed awkwardly and looked away. "Ready to go, Monte? I want to talk with Kevin."
Monte smirked faintly. "Yeah. Just give me a sec."
Kenny nodded and shut the door behind him.
Monte leaned over, pressing one last kiss to Sara's lips before getting out of bed.
He threw on a black button-up and a pair of jeans, grimacing slightly as the fabric brushed his healing side.
Sara sat up, watching him. "Will you come by the diner for lunch?"
Monte nodded. "Yeah, but I might be late. I want to check on Kristi first. Still weird she hasn't woken up."
Sara's smile softened. "Okay. I'll be waiting."
Monte kissed her again before leaving the room.
Sara lingered at the edge of the bed for a moment, watching him go, then slipped into a white blouse and jeans.
...
Monte and Kenny arrived at the station to find Boyd waiting, leaning on the desk like he'd been there a while.
"I figured you'd come early," Boyd said. "Kenny, I know you're mad."
Kenny surprised them both. "Monte already calmed me down," he said quietly. "Let's just figure out what really happened."
Boyd nodded, about to turn toward the holding cells, when Monte spoke up.
"Before we do that, there's something you should know."
Boyd stopped. "Go on."
Monte's expression was unreadable. "Those voices Kevin talked about… Sara's heard them too."
Boyd's eyes widened. "What? And you didn't tell me?"
Monte sighed. "I didn't know until last night."
Kenny frowned. "What voices?"
Boyd explained, "Kevin claimed voices told him to open the doors at the infirmary."
Kenny stiffened. "So, he's crazy. Look what he did."
Monte shook his head. "Sara heard the same thing. And there's something connecting both incidents."
Boyd asked, "What connection?"
Monte hesitated. "The voices… they want me dead."
Boyd's brow furrowed. "Why would they want that?"
Monte shrugged. "I don't know. But they told Sara to kill me in my sleep."
Boyd's voice shot up. "What?! Are you alright? Where is she now?"
Monte raised a hand. "Relax. She's fine. The voices stopped. I think they realized she wouldn't do it."
Boyd nodded slowly, processing.
Kenny spoke next, quieter this time. "You think Kevin's breakdown was connected to you? Some kind of trap?"
Monte nodded. "Yeah. The creatures had Kristi dead to rights that night... but they didn't kill her. They waited, for me to show up."
That silenced the room.
Boyd finally said, "Then we have to figure this out. If these voices are spreading, no one's safe."
Kenny nodded grimly. "Let's talk to Kevin."
Boyd sighed. "He's not exactly cooperative."
Monte's voice dropped an octave. "If he won't talk, I'll beat it out of him."
Boyd gave him a look. "That's the last resort."
Monte exhaled, frustrated. "Fine."
The three of them headed down the hall toward the holding cell.
...
Sara moved gracefully from table to table, taking orders and refilling mugs. The place buzzed with quiet chatter.
Jim, Tabitha, Ethan, and Father Khatri sat together, discussing how they were settling in.
Sara walked up with her notepad. "What can I get you today?"
They placed their orders.
As she turned to go, Tabitha said, "You look nice today."
Sara smiled. "Thank you."
Khatri added warmly, "Yes, you look happier than usual."
Sara chuckled. "Oh, really?"
Ethan piped up proudly, "It's because of Monte, isn't it?"
Tabitha smirked, "Isn't it?"
Sara's cheeks flushed. "Yeah… maybe. I'll be right back with your food."
Jim groaned. "Don't embarrass the girl."
Tabitha smirked. "I'm just curious. Monte doesn't seem like the romantic type."
Khatri coughed on his coffee. "Boyd told me his nickname used to be Monte the Heartbreaker."
Tabitha raised a brow. "That sounds like trouble."
Jim muttered, "Yeah, and I think it means more than just breaking hearts."
Sara returned a minute later with their plates. Ethan grinned at the pancake with a smiley face made of strawberries.
Ethan exclaimed, "Wow? Did you make these?"
Sara smiled, "Of course, you're my favorite customer after all."
Ethan beamed.
"You're so sweet, Sara," Tabitha said.
Sara smiled faintly, but as she turned away... something shifted.
Her head throbbed.
A whisper cut through her thoughts. "Kill the boy."
The voice was sharp, loud... burning behind her eyes. She froze, gasping as pain lanced down her arm.
When she looked, the words had been carved there again, bleeding through her skin.
Sara's breathing quickened. 'No, I won't.'
She stumbled forward, trying to fight it, but her body moved on its own.
Her hand trembling toward the counter before everything went black.
She collapsed hard, convulsing.
Khatri was the first to move, rushing from his seat. "Sara!"
Jim followed, kneeling beside her. "What's happening?"
Khatri grabbed her shoulders. "Hold her steady!"
Chen burst from the kitchen, her eyes wide. "Oh no, oh no…"
Sara's body jerked violently, then stilled.
Jim looked to Khatri, panic in his eyes. "What do we do?"
"I don't know," Khatri said grimly. "Kristi's still unconscious. There's no one else who can help."
Jim looked up sharply. "What about Colony House? Fatima might know something!"
Khatri nodded. "Get her. But first... help me carry Sara to Miranda's."
They lifted her carefully. By the time they stepped outside, her convulsions had stopped... but she was still out cold.
Tabitha stayed back with Ethan, who sat frozen, terrified. "Mom… is Sara gonna be okay?"
Tabitha brushed his hair gently. "Of course she is, sweetheart."
Ethan shook his head. "We have to do something."
Tabitha sighed. "I don't know what we can do."
Ethan looked up, his eyes determined. "We should get Monte. He'll know what to do."
Tabitha hesitated... then nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
They hurried out, Ethan leading the way.
...
Monte stood at the sink, washing his hands.
The water ran red, circling the drain. Boyd and Kenny stood nearby, watching in silence.
Behind them, the door opened.
Tabitha and Ethan rushed in.
"Monte!" Ethan's voice cracked with urgency. "Sara passed out! You gotta help her!"
Monte spun around instantly. "What? What happened?"
Tabitha, breathless, said, "She collapsed at the diner. Khatri and Jim are bringing her to..."
Monte didn't hesitate. He bolted for the door, slamming it open so hard it rattled the hinges.
Tabitha called after him, "She's at Miranda's!"
But Monte was already gone.
They ran outside just in time to see him already halfway down the street.
Moving faster than seemed possible, his shirt still half-buttoned and his gun at his side.
Kenny stared, jaw slack. "No wonder he survived that night."
Boyd nodded, grim and quiet. "Yeah."
Ethan, watching in awe, shouted, "Monte's so cool."
...
Ethan's shout made Boyd and Kenny remember Kevin's interrogation earlier.
Kevin just sat in the cell, mumbling to himself.
The same broken words over and over. His voice was hoarse, his eyes distant.
He didn't even seem to notice Boyd, Monte, or Kenny watching from outside the bars.
Boyd and Kenny tried multiple times to get some kind of response out of him, but he just wouldn't talk.
Monte leaned against the wall, jaw tight. "He's not gonna talk."
Boyd exhaled through his nose, the sound tired. "He's been at it since dawn. Just keeps repeating nonsense about voices."
Monte straightened. "Can I?"
Boyd hesitated. Then, quietly, "…Go ahead."
Monte didn't need to be told twice. He opened the cell door and stepped inside.
Kevin looked up, startled at the sudden invasion of his personal space.
He had no chance of reacting to Monte's fist as it met his face with a dull crack.
Kevin dropped to the floor, clutching his jaw, eyes wide with fear.
Monte crouched down beside him. His voice was low, calm, dangerous. "You're gonna talk," he said. "Or you're gonna die."
Kevin said nothing... just stared, shaking in terror.
Monte sighed, almost disappointed. "Alright then."
He grabbed Kevin by the collar and yanked him back onto the cot. With one hand, he took hold of Kevin's pinky.
Kenny winced. "Monte…"
The crack of bone cut him off.
Kevin screamed, jerking, but Monte held him down. "That's one," he said evenly. "You've got nine left."
"Please..." Kevin started, but Monte twisted another finger. The sound was wet, muffled, horrible.
By the third, Kevin broke. "Stop! I'll talk!"
Monte loosened his grip, but didn't step back. "Then talk."
Kevin's breath came in ragged gasps. "The voices... they told me what to do. Said if I opened the infirmary doors, the creatures would leave me alone. They... they promised I'd be safe."
Boyd's jaw tightened. "Why you? Why make you do it?"
Kevin shook his head violently. "They said they wanted Monte. They said the creatures would be focused on him. I just had to open the door. That's all. Then I had to go back to Colony House and wait."
Boyd frowned. "And somehow, you survived the night."
Kevin hesitated and Monte's hand twitched toward him. Kevin flinched instantly. "They told me where to hide!" he blurted. "Said I'd be safe if I did exactly what they said."
Monte stared at him, silent.
Boyd asked, "What else did they say? Why him? Why Monte?"
Kevin just shook his head again, tears in his eyes. "They don't tell me everything. They just... whisper. Over and over. I can still hear them."
He started to rock, mumbling again.
Monte's patience ended. He grabbed Kevin's shirt and slammed him back into the wall. "Don't play games with me!"
Boyd stepped forward. "Monte."
Monte's voice rose. "He killed Kenny's dad! He nearly got Kristi killed! Knocked Julie unconscious! He's not walking away without giving us something useful!"
Boyd didn't stop him.
Kevin screamed again as Monte hit him once, twice... then finally released him.
The man collapsed, sobbing, his voice hoarse and broken.
Monte and the others continuing to ask any question they could think of.
They covered all the bases, even asking questions that realistically had no answers.
Whenever Kevin tried to hold back or censor his answers, Monte would beat the truth put of him.
By the end of it, Kevin was just a husk of his former self.
Blood streamed from his lips, bruises spreading across his face.
One of his eye were swolen shut, a few teeth scattered on the floor and of course his fingers mangled.
Monte stepped back, breathing hard.
Kenny, who had stood silent the whole time, found himself staring at the mess on the floor with a strange, unsettling satisfaction. And that scared him.
Boyd finally moved, grabbing Monte's shoulder. "That's enough."
Monte didn't argue. He just nodded once and stepped out of the cell, flexing his blood-smeared hands.
Kenny shut the bars, locking Kevin inside. The man was still whispering, voice rasping: "The voices... they want him dead… the boy in white… the boy in white…"
Boyd stared at him for a moment, then turned to Monte. "The voices. They're not just in people's heads. They're controlling the creatures somehow."
Monte nodded grimly. "Yeah. And whoever's behind them… they're getting smarter."
Boyd exhaled. "God help us."
Monte flexed his hands again, blood drying on his knuckles. "My hands hurt."
Boyd coughed, half a bitter laugh. "I can imagine."
Kenny stared through the bars at what was left of Kevin. "Look at him… he's fucked up."
Monte just shrugged, heading toward the sink. "I'm gonna get cleaned up."
He turned the faucet on. The water ran red, swirling down the drain.
...
Monte leapt up onto the porch and burst through the front door.
"Sara!"
Khatri's voice shouted from inside, "In here!"
Monte sprinted down the hall, heart pounding, and stopped short when he reached the side room.
Kristi was there, leaning weakly on Khatri's arm, checking Sara's vitals.
Sara lay motionless on the bed, her skin pale, her breathing shallow.
Monte moved closer, voice rough. "Is she okay?"
Kristi looked up, tense but steady. "She's alive... just unconscious."
Monte knelt beside the bed, brushing his fingers along Sara's hand. "Why's she so cold?"
Kristi shook her head. "I don't know. Her pulse is weak, but steady."
Then Monte froze. He heard a soft rustle behind him and when he turned... The Boy in White was standing in the corner, watching him silently.
The boy spoke softly, calm but urgent. "You have to wake her up. They're trying to corrupt her."
Monte's eyes widened. "What?"
Khatri frowned. "Monte, who are you talking to?"
Monte turned back, voice sharp. "We have to wake her up. Now."
Kristi blinked. "What are you talking about? If she's in shock or..."
Monte interrupted, "Something's happening to her! I can feel it. This place, something's getting inside her head."
Kristi's tone hardened. "You can't just shake her awake. You could kill her."
Monte's jaw tightened. "Then she's already dead if we do nothing."
Khatri stepped between them. "Monte..."
Monte shoved past him and grabbed Sara's shoulders, shaking gently. "Sara, wake up! You have to wake up!"
Kristi tried to pull him back. "Stop it! You're going to make it worse!"
Monte snapped, "She needs to wake up, now!"
The argument grew heated.
Monte's voice cutting over Kristi's protests, Khatri trying to separate them... until Monte's hand shot down to his Glock.
He pointed it at the floor, but the message was clear. "Back up."
Khatri froze, hands raised slightly, disbelief in his eyes.
That's when Boyd and Kenny burst through the doorway.
Boyd barked, "What the hell's going on?"
Kristi turned, frustrated. "Monte's trying to wake her up... It's not safe!"
Monte faced them, desperation etched into his features. "Something's happening to her, Boyd. She's fighting something. If we don't wake her, we'll lose her."
Boyd looked between them, torn. But ultimately made a decision. "Kristi… if there's a chance he's right, we have to try."
Kristi hesitated, torn between logic and instinct. Finally, she sighed. "Smelling salts… cold water… that's all I can suggest."
Boyd nodded. "Kenny, water."
Kenny ran off while Miranda dashed from the hall, calling out, "I have smelling salts!"
Monte shook Sara's shoulders harder, his voice breaking. "Sara, come on! Wake up!"
Tabitha and Ethan rushed into the room just as Miranda returned. The air was thick with panic.
Overlapping shouts, clattering footsteps, the smell of salt and fear.
"Come on, Sara!" Monte pleaded.
Nothing.
Then Ethan looked past Monte and froze.
The Boy in White was standing behind him.
Ethan whispered, "What are you doing here?"
The boy didn't answer. He just met Ethan's gaze and said softly, "Go touch her."
Ethan nodded like he'd been told something sacred.
He ducked beneath Monte's arm and crawled up onto the bed.
Monte barely noticed, he was too focused on Sara. Ethan reached out and placed a small hand on her arm.
The Boy in White stepped forward and gently laid his own hand over Ethan's.
And then... he was gone.
A second later, Sara jolted upright, gasping.
Everyone froze.
Monte caught her immediately, pulling her against him as her wide eyes darted around the room.
Boyd stepped forward, disbelief on his face. "You passed out. We tried everything to wake you."
Sara swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing. "I… I saw something. It was yellow, I think, but… I don't remember."
Monte eased her back down onto the bed, his voice soft but firm. "Just rest. But don't go to sleep again."
Sara nodded faintly. "Okay."
Kristi moved in, checking her pulse and temperature again. Everything seemed normal... too normal.
Monte exhaled in relief, but his eyes found Ethan.
"How did you do it, kid?" he asked, kneeling down beside him.
Ethan blinked. "Do what?"
Tabitha stepped closer, voice trembling. "How did you wake Sara up?"
Ethan said it like it was obvious. "It wasn't me. It was the Boy in White."
Monte froze, grabbing his shoulders. "What did you just say?"
Before anyone could respond, Monte suddenly shuddered. A burning sensation tearing through his side, shoulder, and back.
He shook, groaning as his hand fell to the floor for support.
Boyd rushed forward. "Monte! What's wrong?"
Monte didn't answer, the pain flaring hotter... like fire under his skin.
Kenny yelled, "Something's happening to him!"
Kristi scrambled to his side, but Monte's whole body convulsed.
His eyes flared for a split second, glowing orange, like a reflection of fire... before dimming again.
"Monte!" Sara shouted, trying to sit up.
He ripped open his shirt, breathing hard. Boyd tried to stop him until the bandage on Monte's side fell away.
Everyone froze.
The wound was gone.
Kenny's voice broke the silence. "It's… healed."
Monte tore off the rest of the bandages, revealing his shoulder... the slash from the creature when he first arrived had vanished too.
Kristi stepped behind him and gasped. "His back… it's healed too!"
Every eye turned to Ethan.
Tabitha whispered, "What did you do?"
Ethan stared, confused and scared. "I don't know…"
Monte looked down at his own hands. The bruises and cuts from torturing Kevin had vanished too.
Sara's voice was small but steady. "Monte… are you okay?"
Monte turned toward her, half in shock but calm. "Yeah. I'm fine." He took her hand, gripping it tight. "I'm fine."
Jim finally spoke from the doorway, voice hollow. "What the hell just happened?"
Fatima and Ellis were at his side, both breathing heavily from their sprint over.
No one had an answer.
Only Monte's lingering suspicion that this all tied back to the Boy in White... and whatever strange yellow thing Sara had seen in her dreams.
Boyd cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "We don't know. We'll figure this out later. But right now, they both need rest."
One by one, everyone nodded and quietly filed out of the room. Leaving Monte and Sara alone.
He sat beside her bed, his hand never leaving hers.
Sara whispered, "You scared me."
Monte smiled faintly. "Join the club."
They stayed like that, silent, just feeling each others presence.
The only sound the steady rhythm of their breathing and the faint rustle of wind through Miranda's window.
Outside, unseen by anyone, a single yellow flower swayed gently on the windowsill before being carried off by the wind.