Chapter Four

2:06 p.m. – Stanley's Loft
Portigon, New Barkham

Stanley unlocked the door to his loft and let Isabel inside. He shut the door as Isabel took a seat on his couch. Throwing his keys onto the kitchen counter, he grabbed the TV remote and switched on the TV.

"Do you want something to drink?" he asked, getting himself a glass of water from the tap.

"No," she said quietly, turning to look at him. "Thank you, I'm fine."

He gave her a smile of encouragement, knowing she had already gone through a lot in the past two hours. He himself went through the same things, but he was doing his best to suppress it all for now.

About to take a sip from the glass, he heard knocks at the door. Isabel scooted across the couch; a feeble attempt at distancing herself from the door. Stanley put down the glass and approached the door.

"Who is it?" he called nervously.

"It's me Stan," said his brother. "Open the door."

Isabel looked like her spirits were raised a mile in the air while Stanley sighed in relief. Unlocking the door, he let his brother inside.

Lane's eyes fell on his girlfriend on the couch as soon as he walked inside.

"Oh my god," he said, seeing all the blood on her clothes. He rushed to her side quickly and the two collided into a hug. "Are you okay sweetheart?"

"I'm fine Lane," she said, laying her head on his shoulders as her eyes tore up. "I'm so glad you're here."

Stanley turned away, closing his eyes. "I'm just gonna change out of these," he said, looking down at his suit, which had a bit of blood from the man that grabbed him in his car back at Nadia's apartment.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there Isabel, I really am," Lane told her, kissing her forehead and ignoring Stanley. Stanley ignored them and dismissed himself to his bedroom.

He shut the door as soon as he got inside and quietly banged his head against it. He felt hurt inside, but he ignored the pain as he unbuttoned his shirt. He could hear Isabel recounting their story as he tossed his shirt aside and pulled on another polo and jacket. He also swapped his trousers for a pair of dark jeans.

Although he wanted to return to the lounge to check out the news, he didn't feel like going back into a room with those two again.

"She's with him, okay?" he told himself, as he had said many times before. "You're her friend, that's all. Get over it."

He stood in his room for a while, taking a few deep breaths before he opened the door and feigned a smile of happiness. The TV was on mute and Isabel was lying on the couch with her eyes closed, clutching Lane's hand.

"Hey," said Lane, gesturing at Stanley. "Would you mind…?"

He pointed at his bedroom. Stanley looked at her lying on the couch napping and nodded. Lane gave a smile of appreciation as he carried Isabel in his arms to the bedroom. Stanley removed the mute effect and lowered the volume on the TV as Lane came back out a few minutes later.

"I want to thank you," he said. "For taking care of her I mean."

Stanley looked at him and then back at the TV. "Yeah, it was nothing, don't worry."

He could feel Lane studying him with his eyes. Stanley knew he could tell that something was wrong. He remained still as his brother took a seat next to him, putting his arm around him.

"What's up Stan?" he asked, looking sincere. Stanley looked up at his older brother, not knowing what to say.

"Well, we just went through a whole bunch of violence in the street," said Stanley, his voice beginning to shake. "And we watched Nadia die … before she woke up again and attacked Isabel. I have to say that there's a lot that's up, Lane."

"Right," he said, looking grim. "Sorry, I – I didn't mean it like that."

The two were silent for a moment as Stanley focused on the TV. There was footage of a reporter in front of a blockade around Ophelia Memorial Hospital. The place was looking really busy.

"—with some of the injured being diverted away from Ophelia Memorial due to a panic attack on the upper floors, with some of the staff and patients still trapped inside. This leaves the Saint Reagan Hospital on the opposite end of the city in Amitrano and the few scattered medical clinics around the city the only operational healthcare facilities left."

"I think I know."

Stanley turned to face his brother. His brother lifted his head up, acknowledging his quick reaction to the sentence.

"What?" asked Stanley, looking him in the eye.

"I want you to answer me honestly," he said with a straight face. He sighed as he thought about what he was about to ask. "You like her, don't you?"

Stanley looked at his feet, speechless as he thought very carefully about his next move. Lane scratched his chin in anticipation of his answer.

"No," he said flatly after much thought. "She's your girlfriend. I just happen to be her friend."

Lane didn't look convinced. Stanley guessed he should've lightened up his tone. Lane seemed to be studying his face, trying to pick up on any hints that would contradict his answer. But Stanley didn't back down. He stared straight into his brother's eyes.

Lane sneered before pointing his finger accusingly at him. "Don't try anything Stanley. You should be happy for me… for us."

"Count on it."

Lane gave a mischievous smirk before his pager beeped in his pocket. He cursed as he retrieved it. Stanley smiled.

"You work for a high-tech defense contractor, and they give you pagers to communicate with each other?" asked Stanley.

"Yeah, whatever," said Lane dully, ignoring Stanley's tease as he returned his pager to his pocket. "I don't have my phone with me, it's back at home. Listen, I have to head back."

Stanley looked at his brother quizzically. "What do you mean? Isabel just went through a really tough time. She needs you, and you're just going to drive back to Yoshida? There's a riot going on out there Lane."

But Lane was already at the door. He turned to look at him. "I have to go back. Trust me, it's important." He hesitated for a moment. "Look after her will ya?"

He gave Stanley a glare which roughly translated to: "Don't try too hard, or else…"

Stanley crossed his arms to show the disgust he had for Lane's extreme jealousy and after a while, nodded. Lane's eye twitched as he shut the door, as though he got the message.

3:35 p.m. – Stanley's Loft
Portigon, New Barkham

Stanley was still watching the news, but the footage being shown was exceptionally gruesome. He couldn't believe that some of these recordings were happening just a block away. Although he felt quite safe inside his loft, he wasn't sure if it was going to protect both Isabel and himself from the approaching horde.

Nadia and her sudden transformation were still fresh in his mind, although he had grown exceptional at suppressing his emotions ever since he watched his father died. That reminded him that he still needed to contact Nadia's father, although he felt it could wait until things cooled down a little outside.

Hearing a click at his bedroom door, he snapped his head towards it and saw Isabel walking out, looking a little drowsy and upset over the events.

"Hey," said Stanley encouragingly, holding his hand up in a greeting.

"Hi," said Isabel, rubbing her eyes as she stumbled towards the couch.

Stanley rose from his seat and walked towards the kitchen. "I made you something. Noodles are the only thing I know how to cook properly, so I hope they'll do."

Isabel smiled weakly as she sat on the couch. "Thanks Stanley."

"And uh, I think Pam left some of her clothes with me before she left." He studied her blood-drenched clothes. "You can uh, borrow them if you want... It's not like she's coming back to collect."

She gave a weak smile before looking around the loft. "Thanks. Where's Lane?"

Stanley looked up at her. "He headed back to Yoshida for something," he said, bringing the bowl of noodles over to Isabel. "I have no idea why, I mean, it's too dangerous out there right now, and you could use his support."

Isabel looked disappointed at his desertion, but she hungrily dug into the bowl of noodles Stanley had made. She was eating rather quickly, and Stanley couldn't help but chuckle at her gobbling.

"What?" she asked, blushing.

Stanley shook his head with a smile to tell her it was nothing. As she continued to eat, Stanley's cell phone rang in his suit pocket in his bedroom. He almost didn't hear it as more shrieks came from footage on the TV, but he ran into his bedroom to answer it.

"This is Stanley," he said.

"Stanley? It's Lane."

"Look," said Stanley, before Lane began any kind of interrogation. "I'm not doing anything okay? She's just sitting on the couch, eating noodles."

"Good, but that's not why I called."

Stanley rolled his eyes as he walked back into the lounge. "What's up then?"

"I need you to pack your things," said Lane. This was the first time he sounded like he actually cared about his brother since the collapse of his family a few years ago. "Take Isabel, and head out of the city towards Damuca County."

"Come on," said Stanley. "I know that the streets are dangerous, but we should be fine up here right?" He wasn't totally convinced about his answer though.

"No, you don't understand. This isn't just a normal riot."

"Then wh—"

"I don't have time to explain Stan! Get whatever you need, and start leaving the city now! You're running out of time before they block off the road out of the city."

Lane promptly hung up, likely to prevent Stanley questioning his demands again. Isabel looked up worriedly at Stanley, an empty bowl in her hands.

"What's up?" she asked, looking at Stanley's confused face. "Who was that?"

"Lane," he said. He had no idea what to say after that. He couldn't wrap his head around what Lane meant about how it was not a normal riot. It was quite obvious due to the strange appearance of the rioters, but he couldn't see how Lane would know this considering he never even encountered them, nor did he pay attention to the TV.

"What did he say?" she asked. Upon further study of Stanley's face, she flinched a little. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, yeah he's fine," assured Stanley. "He just told us we need to leave the city. Right now."

Isabel rose from the couch, putting the bowl aside. "Isn't he coming with us?"

Stanley sighed. "I don't know, he didn't say. But I have to take you out of here now." Isabel didn't look too happy, and Stanley knew why. "Look, Lane told me to take care of you. I'm sure he'll be right behind us once we get out of here."

But that was the thing. He wasn't sure.

Isabel stood for a moment as she thought about what Stanley said. "All right."

Stanley smiled and nodded before running into his bedroom to retrieve a duffel bag.

"I'll grab some food while you get yourself sorted out," he called out, heading into the kitchen. Isabel nodded, walking into Stanley's room to get changed.

She came out a few minutes later. She had 3/4 jeans on with a floral dress covering up the upper part. Stanley switched off the TV, which displayed one last close up of one of the rioters.

"Okay, let's go, c'mon."

He pulled open the door for Isabel and followed her through with the bag in his hand. The corridor was unusually quiet. Generally, people were listening to loud music and had their televisions turned up, but now it was just dead silent. He supposed no one was at home. They had probably left the city already … or they never made it back after the announcement by the media.

Closing the door, Stanley led the way to the elevator at the far end of the hall. He pushed the button and laid the bag on the floor.

"What happens now?" asked Isabel. "Once we leave city limits I mean."

Stanley was unable to give her an answer since Lane didn't really tell him, but it didn't matter as the doors to the elevator opened. An elderly man was already inside, covered in blood and an injury on his neck. Isabel screamed as Stanley stepped back.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down young lady!" he said, holding a hand in the air while the other put pressure on his wound. He looked down on his bloodied clothes. "It's fine, don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you guys."

Stanley kept his distance as he looked at him skeptically, Isabel right beside him. "You're not one of them, are you?"

"Do I look like one of them to you boy?" he barked. "One of them was upstairs, he hurt me pretty bad. I don't have those ugly eyes of theirs though don't I?"

Stanley was surprised to learn that some of them were upstairs, but he took his story under consideration. He was right; he didn't look or sound anything like the people outside and on the news, except for the blood of course.

The doors began to close but Stanley reached and stopped them. "Okay. C'mon Isabel, let's go."

She looked at Stanley hesitantly, but she trusted him and his judgment. She pushed the bag into the elevator with her foot and allowed the doors to close. Isabel looked uncomfortable being in such a confined space with a man who had blood pouring out of the back of his neck.

"We're going to be fine," assured Stanley.

But no sooner than he said so, the fire alarm in the apartment complex immediately went off, causing the elevator to lurch. The lights inside shut off as the alarm blared.

"What's going on?" asked Isabel, grabbing Stanley's arm. Stanley turned to look at the elderly man with them, but was shocked to find him on the floor. He must not have heard him collapse when the alarms went off.

"Someone must've pulled it to alert the people in the building," said Stanley, crouching down to examine the man. "It's okay. In case of a fire alarm, the elevator should go straight to the first floor."

As an architect, he figured this was the most likely thing to happen. But the elevator wasn't moving at all. However, that was the least of his worries. It was hard to see with minimal light but he determined the man fainted from the blood loss, although he wasn't so sure.

He retreated from the man back towards Isabel. "He needs medical attention, now."

Isabel looked worried as she saw his silhouette on the ground.

"Any minute now," thought Stanley, waiting impatiently for the elevator to go down. It took a couple of minutes for him to realize that it probably wasn't going to move at all.

"Damn it," said Stanley, fed up with waiting. "We need to get out of here."

"But won't we be safe in here? It's stuck right?"

Stanley glanced upwards at the ceiling of the elevator. "We can't take a chance if they're already in the building." He pointed at the hatch above them. "Open that up."

"Isn't that dangerous? We should wait..."

Stanley thought about this. The car could restart at any moment, but he wasn't feeling too hopeful about help coming now since there were attackers in the building. The man needed urgent attention anyway.

"The guy's not gonna make it unless we move now."

Isabel nodded reluctantly before commencing to reach for the hatch. He could hear her grunting as she struggled. Stanley would have laughed in any other situation but he didn't have time for joking around anymore. He put his hands on her waist and helped her up. She was fairly light, making it easier for him, and for her to unlock the hatch and push it open.

She hoisted herself up with Stanley's help. He was about to follow by grabbing Isabel's hand, but something seized his leg.

Isabel watched helplessly from above as Stanley let go, yelling as he allowed the man to drag him to the floor.