The door didn't open.
So Jill kicked it in.
CRASH—
The wooden frame splintered inward as the door slammed against the wall, the sound echoing through the quiet gun shop. The bell above the entrance rang violently, its sharp chime cutting through the tension like a warning.
"KEN—!"
Her voice broke through the space, raw and urgent as she stumbled inside, half-dragging, half-carrying Soren with her.
The shop smelled the same.
Gun oil.
Metal.
Faint traces of wood polish.
Normal.
Too normal.
For a split second, it felt wrong being here like this.
"Ken, I need help!"
Footsteps—fast, heavy—came from the back room.
Robert Kendo burst through the doorway, shotgun already in his hands, eyes wide and searching—
Then he saw her.
"S—Jill?!"
His gaze dropped immediately to the man slumped against her.
And froze.
"…The hell—"
"Not now!" Jill snapped, breath uneven as she struggled to keep Soren upright. "I need a place to lay him down—now!"
Kendo moved instantly.
"Back room—this way!"
He turned, already clearing a path as Jill followed, boots slipping slightly on the wet floor as rainwater trailed in behind them.
Soren's weight shifted again.
Dead weight now.
"Stay with me… come on…" Jill muttered under her breath, tightening her grip as she forced another step forward.
They pushed through into the back.
A small work area.
Bench.
Tools.
Clutter.
Kendo shoved everything aside in one sweep.
"Here—!"
Jill didn't hesitate.
She lowered Soren onto the table as carefully as she could, her hands lingering on him for a second longer than necessary before pulling back just enough to breathe.
Up close—
He looked worse.
Steam still rose faintly from his body, heat radiating off him in waves despite the cold rain soaking through his clothes.
Kendo stepped in beside her, eyes scanning quickly.
"…He's burning up," he muttered.
"I know."
Jill's voice was tight.
Controlled.
Barely.
Kendo looked at her again—really looked this time.
"…Jill… what the hell happened out there?"
Jill didn't answer.
Her eyes stayed locked on Soren.
Because she didn't know where to start.
And right now—
It didn't matter.
"He needs help," she said quietly. "That's all that matters."
Kendo looked at Jill, frustration already rising. "I can't help him, Jill. I'm not a fucking doctor."
A small voice, shaking with fear, came from the opposite end of the room. "Daddy?"
Kendo turned immediately, his expression softening as he saw her. "It's okay, sweetie," he said, his voice lowering, gentler now. "Daddy's friend isn't feeling well, so we're going to help."
Jill's eyes shifted to the little girl, then back to Kendo for just a second before she stepped closer. "Emma, sweetie… you remember me? I'm Jill, your dad's friend."
Emma nodded slowly and took a few hesitant steps closer, still shy, but no longer afraid.
"Can I help?" she asked.
Jill's face shifted through a series of emotions in an instant—stress, hesitation, something softer—before settling. "You can."
She knelt down in front of her, bringing herself eye level with the girl. "Sweetie, I need you to go pack your things. We're going on a little trip."
Emma frowned slightly, confusion crossing her face as she looked back at her father. Kendo gave a small nod, and that was enough. She nodded in return and turned, hurrying off toward her room.
The moment she was gone, Jill stood and turned back to Kendo, her expression tightening again. "I'm really sorry… but I didn't have a choice. We need to get him back to the bunker."
Kendo dragged a hand down his face, exhaling sharply. "Fuck… alright. Okay." He looked toward the back, already thinking ahead. "My car's around the back. I'll take him. You help Emma."
Jill nodded, already moving.
"Oh—and there are two backpacks in Emma's closet," Kendo added. "Grab those too."
Jill didn't stop. She turned the corner and rushed toward Emma's room.
Jill pushed into Emma's room and found the little girl hurriedly stuffing her stuffed animals into a small bag, her movements quick but clumsy with nerves. Jill didn't waste a second. She moved straight to the closet, pulling it open and grabbing a few sets of clothes, some essentials—whatever she could carry—and shoved them into a bag. As she turned, her eyes caught on two large black backpacks tucked neatly to the side, each with a patch stitched onto them.
"Bailout Bags."
Jill let out a quiet breath. "Nice."
She dragged them out without hesitation.
Moving quickly, she handed the smaller bag to Emma. "Hold onto this, okay? Stay close to me."
Emma nodded, gripping the bag tightly.
Jill slung one strap of each large backpack over her shoulders, adjusting the weight as best she could before guiding Emma out of the room and down the hall. They moved fast, footsteps echoing through the house as everything shifted from urgent to immediate.
Jill pushed through the back door—
—and the cold night air hit her again.
Rain still poured, lighter now but steady, soaking everything in a dull sheen.
Kendo was already at the back of a dark green Jeep Wrangler, loading a large, heavy-duty case into the rear. The metal clanked as he shoved it into place, securing it quickly before turning at the sound of the door.
He saw them.
Didn't waste time.
He moved to help immediately, taking one of the larger packs from Jill without a word and tossing it into the back.
"Let's go."
Jill ushered Emma into the rear seat, helping her climb in before turning back to Soren. Kendo was already there, lifting him with effort, hauling him toward the Jeep. Jill stepped in to support the other side, and together they managed to get him into the back beside Emma.
"Easy—watch his head," Jill muttered, adjusting him as best she could before pulling back.
Kendo slammed the rear door shut.
They moved fast after that.
Driver's side.
Passenger.
Engine—
ROAR—
The Jeep came to life, tires spinning slightly against the wet ground before gripping as Kendo pulled out from the alley and onto the road.
Within seconds—
They were moving.
Rain streaked across the windshield, wipers cutting back and forth as the city blurred past in dark, broken shapes.
Kendo glanced at Jill.
Then at the rearview mirror.
Emma sat pressed close, small hands gripping her bag, eyes wide as she looked between them—and Soren.
Kendo's jaw tightened.
"…So what the hell happened?"
Jill stared forward for a second.
Then she started talking.
As Jill spoke, the color slowly drained from Kendo's face. His grip on the wheel tightened, knuckles paling as each detail sank in—the fight, the creature, the way Soren had moved… what he had become. By the time she finished, the only response he managed was a weak, breathless—
"…shit."
After that, silence took over.
No one spoke as they drove.
The city thinned out around them, buildings giving way to darker stretches of road as they pushed past the outskirts and onto the North Bridge. Rain continued to fall in steady sheets, the wipers working overtime as the hum of the engine filled the space between them.
Kendo took a sharp turn off the main road, guiding the Jeep down a narrow, unmarked street that led beneath the bridge. The sound of traffic above faded into a distant rumble as they descended into shadow.
He brought the vehicle to a stop.
Without a word, Kendo stepped out into the rain and moved to a large metal fence set into the side of the structure. He worked quickly, unlocking it and pulling it open wide enough for the Jeep to pass through, then climbed back in and drove forward into a small, hidden lot tucked beneath the bridge.
The engine cut.
Kendo turned slightly in his seat. "Alright… that's as far as we go with the car. We need to move everything—and him—to the subway cart."
Jill's eyes widened. "Subway? Is that how you've been moving gear and supplies to the bunker?"
Kendo gave a faint smirk despite everything. "Yeah. Cool, right? No one—and I mean no one—knows about this route. So it's safe."
Jill looked back at Soren, then returned her gaze to Kendo, her expression tightening.
"For now."
They both got out.
Rain hit them immediately, colder now beneath the bridge as the wind pushed through the open space. Kendo moved to the side of the lot and grabbed a large, rough piece of drywall leaning against the wall. He pulled it away, revealing a set of narrow steps leading down into darkness.
Dim lights flickered to life below.
Jill didn't hesitate. She followed him down, boots hitting each step with urgency as the sound echoed through the confined space. The air grew cooler as they descended, damp and stale, the walls lined with cracked, aged tiles that hadn't seen maintenance in years.
At the bottom, the space opened slightly.
Not a station.
Not anymore.
A small, repurposed tunnel stretched out ahead, the ceiling low, the walls rough where repairs had been made. Rusted rails cut through the center, disappearing into darkness.
And sitting on them—
A hand-pump cart.
Old.
Sturdy.
Just big enough.
Jill took it in for half a second.
Then nodded.
"Let's move."
They worked fast.
Kendo hauled the heavy case down first, setting it onto the cart with a dull thud. Jill followed with the packs, adjusting them into place while keeping an eye on Emma, who stayed close, quiet but alert.
Last—
Soren.
Kendo came back up with Jill, both of them moving without needing to say anything. They got under him again, each taking a side, lifting with effort as his weight dragged against them.
"Easy… easy…" Jill muttered, adjusting her grip.
Step by step, they brought him down.
Careful.
Slow.
Every movement deliberate as they maneuvered him onto the cart.
Once he was settled, Jill adjusted his position, making sure his head was supported, her hand lingering there for just a second before pulling back.
They were ready.
Kendo picked Emma up and set her gently onto the cart before climbing on himself. "Jill, give me a hand with this," he said, nodding toward the hand pump.
Jill stepped up without hesitation, taking the opposite side. Together they started to work the handle. The cart creaked at first, wheels grinding softly against the rails as it began to move. Slow.
Then faster.
Not fast enough to lose control—but enough to carry them forward at a steady pace as the tunnel swallowed them in darkness.
The rhythmic clank of metal and the dull hum of movement filled the space as they pushed.
Minutes passed.
Then Kendo called out over the noise, "Alright—we're stopping soon. You can stop, Jill."
Jill nodded and stepped back, her hands releasing the pump as Kendo shifted his weight forward.
"Hold on tight!"
He pulled the brake lever slowly, but even controlled, the cart jerked as it resisted the momentum. The rails screeched lightly before the cart finally slowed—
—and came to a stop.
There was no station.
No platform.
Just dirt.
A narrow, man-sized tunnel stretched upward, carved through packed earth, dimly lit by a single weak bulb near the top.
Kendo jumped down first and motioned for Emma. "Come here, kiddo." He lifted her off the cart and set her on her feet beside him.
"Come on, Jill—we're almost there."
Jill turned immediately to Soren.
He was… different.
The steam was gone.
The heat, too.
His breathing had leveled out, slow and steady, his body no longer tense or unstable. For the first time since the fight—
He looked like he was sleeping.
Jill exhaled quietly, tension easing just a fraction.
"Good…" she murmured.
Then she moved.
They worked quickly again. Kendo hauled the gear down piece by piece while Jill stayed close to Soren, keeping an eye on him as Emma hovered nearby, quiet but watching everything.
Once the gear was down, Kendo came back up.
"Let's get him."
Jill nodded.
They lifted Soren together, each taking a side again, careful with his weight as they maneuvered him off the cart and into the narrow tunnel.
Step by step, they moved upward.
The air shifted as they climbed, growing cooler, cleaner.
Then—
They emerged.
Jill stepped out first—
And froze for half a second.
Forest.
Dark.
Dense.
A chill ran down her spine instantly, memory flashing sharp and vivid—
The mansion.
The dogs.
That night.
She shook her head, forcing it away.
Not now.
"Move," she muttered under her breath, more to herself than anyone else.
Nearby, partially concealed beneath a tarp, sat an ATV already loaded with gear. Kendo moved ahead, pulling the cover off in one motion as they brought Soren over.
They lifted him into the back seat carefully.
Jill climbed in beside him immediately, one arm bracing him upright as best she could.
Emma took the front seat next to Kendo, small hands gripping the edge as she looked back once, eyes lingering on Soren.
Kendo didn't waste time.
The engine roared to life.
And a second later—
They were moving.
Through the forest.
Toward the bunker.
When they reached the bunker, Kendo brought the ATV to a hard stop. He jumped off immediately and moved to the keypad beside the reinforced doors, punching in the code with practiced speed. A second later, the heavy doors groaned as they began to open.
They were met with the barrel of a shotgun.
Frost stood just inside, weapon raised, eyes sharp—until he saw who it was.
"Shit—Kendo, you scared the shit out of me, man. You're not supposed to come back—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
His gaze shifted.
Jill.
Emma.
Then—
Soren.
Unconscious.
Frost's expression darkened instantly.
"…Motherfucker," he muttered under his breath. "I told him."
He moved without hesitation, lowering the shotgun as he rushed forward. "Get him inside—now."
A few minutes later, they were all back inside the bunker.
< Medical Room – Old Bunker >
-Sometime later-
The light hit him first.
Same as before.
That damn fluorescent hum.
Soren's eyes cracked open slowly, vision adjusting as the ceiling came into focus—the same dull panels, the same harsh light staring back at him.
"…For fuck's sake… again," he muttered under his breath.
His head turned slightly.
Then he felt it.
Weight.
Warm.
He looked down.
Jill.
She was half sitting, half slumped over the bed, her head resting against his arm, her body clearly having given out from exhaustion.
Soren's expression softened.
Quietly, he lifted his free hand and brushed a few strands of hair from her face, careful not to wake her.
"…Looks like you ended up saving my ass again," he said softly, a small smile forming at the corner of his lips.
For a moment, he just watched her.
Then he leaned back into the pillow, the tension leaving his body as his eyes slowly closed again.
And this time—
He let himself rest.