Chapter 7: Beauty and the Blaze
Jamie examined the creature. It was definitely new to her, the biohazard symbol definitely drawing her attention. However she didn't let it distract her too much. She drew and set mana. "I summon a second Braid Claw. Zyler, attack and break his shield!"
Braid Claw re-emerged while Zyler charged his cannon and took out another shield.
Drone
Shields 4-3
The shield shards scattered, but stopped and joined back together to form a gold orb with small wings and hand-like talons and circuitry going about on it.
Kolon the Oracle
Civilization: Light
Power: 1000
"Shield Trigger: I summon Kolon the Oracle and tap Baby Zoppe."
Kolon lauched a lightning bolt that paralyzed the baby bird, throwing it back and twitching on the ground.
The drone drew and set mana. "Now witness, Miss Martin, the power of the Survivor Race! I summon Gigaling Q!"
Another Darkness creature arrived from within the dark background, a bronze-colored chimera, a centaur in terms of structure, with its red muscles exposed underneath the armor it wore. Black eyes covered its legs and the large spiraling tail, as its skeletal, reptilian head sported horns in place of them. On its bare red chest, it also had an orb, with the biohazard symbol, only this time, with Skullsweeper, they both began to harmonize and resonate with a purple hue.
Gigaling Q
Civilization: Darkness
Power:2000
Jamie knew that what was coming couldn't possibly be good.
"Skullsweeper, inherit Gigaling's slayer and attack Baby Zoppe! And activate your own ability and discard her last card in her hand!"
"Inherit?" Jamie was taken aback by the snapping of the card from her hand, and even more so when Skullsweeper was already upon its prey.
Skullsweeper: 1000
Baby Zoppe: 4000
Skullsweeper wrapped around Baby Zoppe, slowly crushing it as the little bird squirmed for dear life. Eventually they both exploded and went into their respected graves. Zoppe landed on the Explosive Fighter Ucarn Jamie was hoping to use following this turn. She looked up at the drone and the Gigaling on the other side.
"So that's how they work then… they share abilities between each other?"
"In times of conflict, relying on one another for support is the only way to achieve victory. Relying on one's own strength will be inevitable to their downfall."
Jamie drew and set mana. "Braid Claw, breaks another shield."
Drone
Shields 3-2
"You can't escape the inevitable child. My Survivors will dominate those who driven us to our lowest points." The drone drew and set mana. "I summon Grave Worm Q."
A large white worm with a red back and dozens of small legs crawled through, it's biohazard symbol radiating as well.
Grave Worm Q
Civilization: Darkness
Power: 3000
"Grave Worm's ability retrieves one Survivor from my graveyard." The drone explained as it retrieved Skullsweeper. "Gigaling attack Braid Claw, Kolon attacks Zyler!"
Gigaling unleashed a eerie cry as it launched its tail towards Braid Claw. It threw Braid Claw into the air, Zyler watching. Distracted it was caught off guard by Kolon, who tackled it upward, the two colliding with Braid Claw and the three exploding in the air.
Jamie drew and and set mana. "I end my turn."
The drone laughed. "Are you admitting defeat already? Is it that my creations are too much for you to overcome?" the drone drew and set mana. "I summon Gallia Zhol, Iron Guardian Q."
This time, a navy blue guardian appeared, although it also sported the biohazard symbol. It's light alternated between yellow and purple, also causing Grave Worm and Gigaling to do the same as well.
Gallia Zhol, Iron Guardian Q
Civilization: Light
Power: 2000
"Zhol grants my Survivors Blocker. What you now have before you are three blockers, each with the Slayer ability that can also retrieve my other Survivors from the graveyard whenever they enter the battle zone."
Jamie ignored it. She drew and set mana. "I end my turn."
The drone paused for a moment. "It seems that you need a demonstration to understand the intensity of the situation you are in." it drew and set mana. "I summon Ballus, Dogfight Enforcer Q and Bloody Squito!"
A square-shaped saucer materialized, which sported the Biohazard symbol. It too radiated at the sensing of its commrades. Bloody Squio joined alongside it, bringing the number of Blockers to five.
Ballus, Dogfight Enforcer
Civilization: Light
Power: 3000
"And now, I attack." The drone said. "Zhol, Gigaling, Grave Worm, break her shields! And with Ballus, they untap at the end of the turn, leaving them invulnerable for a counter attack!"
The Survivors acknowledged the command and lashed out, three shields shattering before Jamie, who stood like a statue, unfazed. The three cards went into her empty hand and she drew.
Jamie
Shields: 5-2
"You are a very fearless girl. I must say I am impressed."
"Fearless? More like insulted." She corrected it and drew.
Nate and Robert watched Jamie as she stared down her opponent and its seemingly unbeatable army. They could both tell something was new.
"Her K-Waves just spiked." Nate said, feeling the change in her person. "You knew this would happen, didn't you?"
"Some of these kids need the right push in order for them to come out on top. For the sake of everything I will push them to their limit if necessary."
The drone took a moment to process a response. "In what regard?"
"You're claiming that unless I rely on others then I'm weak? That in order for me to progress in anything, I need someone to hold my hand? That I will forever need to be saved from whatever mess I get myself into?"
Nate sighed. "Just don't kill them in the process."
Robert turned to him. "My goal is to fall before they do."
The drone laughed. "That is your own anxiety getting the better of you. That in itself proves that this bravado you are proclaiming is nothing but a front! That you are nothing but a weak—!"
Jamie's hand sparked with red electricity, as she slowly revealed the card she was about to play. An outline of a large winged creature formed behind her "I summon Scarlet Skyterror…"
She set the card on the table and the golden Armored Wyvern armed with rockets and gatling guns on its arms emerged and roared.
Scarlet Skyterror
Civilization: Fire
Power 3000
"I don't need evolution. I don't need to be saved. I'm fine on my own." She thrusted her hand forward. "I have a burning fire within me just waiting to be unleashed! And its by my power alone that it will burn all those who threaten me or those I care about! Scarlet Skyterror, wipe out those blockers!"
Scarlet Skyterror acknowledged Jamie's command and unleashed its barrage on the survivors, who watched helplessly as the barrage came towards them. Each and everyone of them burned them away, their screams echoing as they all faded, much to the Drone's astonishment.
"MY SURVIVORS!" it exclaimed. "How is this possible?!"
"Because, I know how to rely on myself. I refuse to be dependent on others. I'm no damsel, I'm a hero dammit!" Jamie exclaimed.
"Don't get ahead of yourself!" The drone said. It drew and in response to its rage it summoned two Skullsweepers.
Jamie drew, and with her adrenaline pumping, she kept her momentum going, revealing the three spells in her hand. "I cast two Crimson Hammers, wiping out both Skullsweepers. Then Magma Gazer, giving Scarlet Skyterror Power Attacker +4000 and Double Breaker. Go Skyterror!"
Red waves erupted before Jamie as they rushed and drowned the pair of Brain Jackers. Scarlet flew overhead and unleashed its missiles on the last two shields.
Drone
Shields: 2-0
One of the shields retaliated as it flew up, turning into an army of dark hands, capturing the Wyvern and destroying it before it could return to Jamie.
"Shield Trigger: Terror Pit. I refuse to lose to a child who's in over her head.
"Then do something about it."
The drone becoming frustrated summoned Gallia Zhol once more. "I cast Dark Reversal to retrieve Ballus from my grave."
Jamie grinned, annoying the drone further. "I swear I will rip that smug off your face."
"Try it tin can. I summon Gatling Skyterror."
Gatling Skyterror arrived to replace Scarlet, awaiting patiently for orders.
The drone grew further frustrated, knowing that Gatling could attack untapped creatures, making Ballus useless. Nonetheless, he summoned it for the sake of having two blockers. "Zhol, break her shield!"
Zhol launched itself and rammed through one of Jamie's shields.
Jamie
Shields 2-1
However, as if mirroring the previous turn, the very shield followed Zhol in a spiral pattern, until it ignited and swallowed the Guardian.
"Shield Trigger: Tornado Flame." Jamie revealed. She set the trigger and drew. "Gatling Skyterror: Direct Attack!"
Gatling Skyterror heeded the command and unleashed its barrage against the drone who was blown away from the barrage. It spiraled back and forth before dropping onto the ground and breaking from the impact.
Jamie removed her K-VYZR from her ear and walked over to the drone, clearly broken.
"So weird…" She commented, examining it. Her attention diverted when she heard the DCA officials race inside the room along Nate and Robert.
"Jamie are you alright?!" Nate asked her rather frantic.
"Yeah, I'm fine…" she answered them. "Did I pass?"
Nate was caught off guard by her question but had to laugh it off. "Yeah, lunch is on me."
"If you don't mind, I'll take this off your hands." Robert walked over and retrieved the drone from her. "I need to have a talk with R&D about this defective drone of theirs."
"Why was there something wrong with my duel?" Jamie asked.
"Wait did you think all of that was a part of the duel?" Nate asked her as they both looked at her.
"Well, yeah it seemed a bit weird but I assumed it was a part of the test. A new type of creature, and the drone playing dialogue to go along with it, it was pretty cool if I'm being totally honest."
"That's great and all but that—!"
"Was an added feature we were testing with our drones. That deck it was using was a mock deck for a set that the DCA's planning on releasing next month." Robert made a lie that made Nate turn to him in shock."
"Well, personally I think its pretty strong. I wouldn't mind getting to face off against those Survivors some more. Maybe even get to use them myself."
"We'll leave that to R&D to decide on that." Robert laughed. "However I need them to fix this drone before we discuss anything about our upcoming products for the public. If you'll excuse me."
"Oh, you sure?" Nate grabbed his arm. "I was planning on taking them to that restaurant we were talking about the other day." Nate said.
"Really, I'm fine. You guys have fun." Robert reassured. "If anything I'll get Jake to bring me back some pieces of Yellowtail."
"Alright your loss." Nate released him and watched as Robert exited the room with the drones.
"Is…everything alright with you two?" Jamie asked him.
"Yeah…just great." Nate said, going to reach for his phone. "Uh, actually something just came up upstairs that I need to take care of. Uh…how to do this…wait up on CJ and the others, I will text him the address for the restaurant I was planning on taking you guys and I will be sure to join you guys once I take care of this."
Before Jamie could agree, Nate was already racing out of the room, leaving Jamie there, wondering what he was rushing off to do.
Robert entered the elevator and dialed a specific code on the pad before him. The elevator went even further down than before and eventually stopped. When the doors opened Robert began to trek down the dim-lit hallway while he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
"It's me."
"Calling to give me a progress report on my acting?" Luke asked him on the other end of the line.
"You tried to hard to portray him. More importantly, did you get the data you needed?"
"Only following up on your performance from before. And yes, I did. Miss Martin's little spike in K-Waves during that time definitely showed a bit of the Neo Waves mixed in. She has a couple more spikes like that the two will be able to sync to one another in no time."
"Excellent. And what about Cindy?"
"Itching to break out those Survivors you gave her. As am I. Brian and Megan both said they're out after what happened the other night, and quite frankly I don't blame them. Those are two people whose blood I don't want on my hands."
"Its fine. We were only able to recover three of the Evolutionary Survivors anyway. We have all the tools we need to begin the fall of the DCA and the exposure of the Creature World to the public." Robert stopped at the door that blocked his way. He placed his hand on the reader and typed in a subsequent code. "Contact me if any further changes arise."
He hung up and walked inside the room where across from him rested a cell. He knocked and the prisoner on the other side looked up at him. His hair was long and messy, his beard scruffy and outgrown. He stood up weakly and his red hate-filled eyes locked onto his captor.
"Back again to remind me of how much of a fool I am, Bobby?" the man asked him spitefully.
"I'm here to try this again." He responded. "Because for someone who I left to drown within the seas of the creature world, you have a very bad habit of remembering details concerning a certain Emperor."
"For the last time I know nothing about what the Cyber Lords are planning where Earth is concerned. Not anymore than what you people managed to figure out after all these years."
"You have spent over a decade stranded in that world. You cannot sit there and tell me that you learned nothing."
"I spent a decade in that world because someone wanted to be sure that I stayed dead." He countered. "And then when he found out I was alive he threw me in this prison for years, interrogating me in the same ridiculous method because he thinks I'm a spy!"
"Emperor Quazla is not a merciful person, we both know that. If it were up to him we'd all be dead. Especially after what you did."
"And for that I deserve to be in a prison cell, but what you're trying to do is stupid beyond anything I could ever dream."
"I will do whatever it takes to make sure that Earth is safe. If that means reforming the DCA and completely blowing the Creature World from existence, then so be it. That world has brought us nothing, but heartache and tragedy and I would give anything to be free from it."
"Including manipulating my son to do your dirty work?"
Robert grew quiet. "You left him for your monsters."
"At least mine didn't have to grow up with one."
Robert turned back, realizing his efforts were futile. As he walked, Jonah called out to him.
"Piece of advice, Bobby: If because of your madness you get my son killed, I swear I will pay you back for every year you stole from me."
Robert turned back when he reached the doorway. "No amount of time will suffice to the pain I've already had to deal with." And with that he locked the door to the prison cell.
Nate opened a draw in his desk and took out a red notebook inside of it. It was a journal he kept, one that depicted the adventures if the creature world he had when he was younger. He opened the book to a specific page, and took the card that was inside of it. The art depicted a bronze-armored dragon with a trio of heads on its armor, one on its chest and two on its shoulders.
"You must have much confidence that she can handle Blaze's true form." A deep voice spoke through the silence in the room.
Nate put the book down and reached for the deck case he kept hidden behind his jacket. He slid out a specific card and allowed it to leap from his hand and transform into a creature. The creature was an armored purple-scaled dragon with a white beard hanging from its muzzle, and white hair draped from underneath its helmet.
"That girl stared into the eyes of hell and told it to get lost." Nate explained. "Confidence doesn't even define my opinion of her right now."
"Indeed, she has potential, but old friend, you must also remember she is still a child. Your own son nearly perished from the strain of summoning Creatures to this world."
"But he didn't. And you sensed it as well Draconis, that girl's K-Waves are strong for a Fire Duelist of her age and experience."
"That's called passion, Nathan." Draconis told him. "Fire Civilization warriors wear that proudly even to death. And without a doubt, that girl, with your guidance, will be able to draw out Blaze's full potential as you have in the past. But only, with your guidance."
Nate looked back at the card. "I know. When she was Jabaha, Blaze sacrificed her power to take down the Survivors that hunted us. If it wasn't for her, the Fire Civilization would've been decimated for sure."
"That in mind, if you want to repay her for her bravery, then you need to make sure her new partner is worthy of such a responsibility. And that goes for your own son as well. Like how you and your wife proved to be a formidable force, so these two children be as well.
"Hey, don't go of trying to marry my kid off so quick there." Nate told him. "Let him be a kid a bit longer."
Draconis crossed his arms. "As if fate has given him the option to." The dragon then began to glow red and revert to its card form.
Nate took Star-Cry Dragon off the desk and set it back into his deck. He then walked over to his window and looked out at the bright spring day, appreciating the rather calm, tranquil scenery. He looked down, seeing the five teenagers walking out of the building, seemingly recalling their respected tests that they each took. His phone then chimed and he looked at it.
CJ: Dad, what's the address of that restaurant you mentioned? Also do you want us to bring you anything?
Nate texted him back. "Sushi Yasuda, East 43rd street. And you don't have to, gonna wrap things up here and meet u all over there."
CJ: K then, see you in a bit.
Nate put his phone back into his pocket and continued to watch them until they mixed in with the busy crowd. He took a deep sigh. "Fate can bend the rules for one afternoon, can't it?"
"Oh ho ho man that looks good!" Dylan clapped his hands as the bowl of ramen came his way. "I-ta-da-ki-ma-su!" he said in a sing-song voice.
Jake cleared his throat. "Dylan, did you forget that quick?"
Dylan looked up and sighed. "Not even one bite before we get to work?" he rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone.
"No rest for the weary." Lancer spoke up from his deck case.
"Yeah yeah, you weren't the one up half the night going through layers of firewalls."
"What do you mean?" CJ asked, breaking his chopsticks apart.
"I had Dylan help me do some snooping." Jake explained. "Something about that guy Luke and everything that's happened up to this point has been bothering me."
CJ was about to slurp his noodles but stopped before he could pop the food into his mouth. "Like what?"
Dylan set his phone on the table and slid it into the middle of them, the holographic screen popping up for them to see. Holographic versions of Luke, Cindy, Brian and Megan all appeared, each of them giving the option to access records about them.
CJ looked at Jake. "What is all this?"
"What do you think bro? Official DCA records on those guys we faced off." Dylan said, rather proudly.
"Ok…?" CJ said, not really getting it.
"The ones the DCA keeps for people of interest." Jake clarified.
CJ's eyes widened. "Whoa hold up! Are you saying these guys are DCA Agents?"
"More like ones who were related to the DCA. Brian and Megan Warner; aka The Twilight Siblings as they're known as in the dueling world. Like us they were cadets, and they were pretty good too. Thing is they were dropped from the program after Brian beat the crap out of an instructor he claimed was getting a little too 'friendly' with his sister." Jake began.
"Goes to show creeps are everywhere in this day and age." Jamie said. CJ threw a glare at her taking her comment as a bit of an insult.
"Then we have Cynthia 'Cindy' Mcknight. Daughter of two DCA Agents who lost their lives during what was called the 'Survivor Uprising' in the Creature World. A simple recon mission turned deadly. Instead of compensating for her loss, the DCA covered up the event as if nothing happened." Dylan added. "Ever since she's been totally hellbent on getting justice for her parents."
"That's not what she told me." Jamie spoke up.
"What's up?" Jake asked.
"She told me that her parents learned about Project Neo and were killed because of that. I wouldn't be surprised if the DCA made that story up to cover what they really did.
"You really think they would resort to something like that?" CJ asked.
"Would it surprise you that they would be keeping secrets to cover their image?" Jamie asked him back. "After all the world knows them as a gaming company, not a government taskforce."
"I guess you got a point but that would mean that our parents and your brother would be keeping secrets from us then."
Jamie scoffed. "Jason is a terrible liar. I've known of his part with the DCA for a long time. Jake and I became friends because of our ties with the DCA."
"She's not wrong there." Jake supported. "Five years and still going strong."
"He's not wrong there." Jamie nodded.
"There's still Luke Collins." Karon noted. "How does he tie in all of this?"
Dylan swiped to his info. "What Mr. Wilson told us essentially. Genius hacker, broke into the DCA, wants revenge for the disappearance of his mad scientist pops, who is apparently alive and wanting to bust a hole into this world with his army of Ninja Turtles." He explained.
Karon looked over to CJ, the latter making a unique face. Instead of calling him out he popped a piece of sashimi in his mouth.
"Luke is a special case." Jake noted. "The fact that he was able to break in and steal highly classified data in a short amount of time, leads me to believe that this was an inside job."
"Considering the details, that wouldn't be surprising." Jamie commented. "Only question is who?"
"Or what their endgame is." Karon added. "Exposing the DCA is one thing but that girl forced CJ into a Kaijudo Duel. She had full intentions of unleashing Creatures into the real world."
"Maybe that's it! What if they're trying to amass an army of creatures into the world, wreck a good portion of the city and expose the DCA?"
"I don't know..." Jamie said.
"Before you say it I know its insane but hear me out—!"
"No I mean…Luke doesn't seem like someone who'd willingly kill just to kill." Jamie explained.
"I gotta agree." CJ added. "Wow, first time. Anyway, that night, Luke helped me—ow!" he leaped up. CJ threw a glare at Jamie, who slightly gave the notion for him to keep quiet.
"Uh…never mind…"
"Luke actually showed concern when I was captured by them. He knew the effects that the program would have on me since I was synced to Blaze. I have a feeling that he genuinely cared about how it was affecting me."
"Maybe being synced to the Guardian Creatures carries more risks than we thought initially." Dylan wondered. "Any input on it Lancer?"
"Can't say for sure. I wouldn't necessarily object to it however, no matter how suspicious his behavior may appear."
"Talk about Stockholm syndrome. And you call me the creep." CJ said.
It earned him another kick to the shin.
"Guys, we need to focus!" Jake snapped. "At the end of the day, Luke is getting help from inside the DCA. Why that person is helping him, is anyone's guess. But before anything like the other night happens we need to address it here and now."
CJ wanted to say something, but was reminded by Robert's words. He had to keep the knowledge of Luke and his relationship a secret for the sake of both worlds. Still it bothered him that he was keeping a major detail from his best friend for reasons unknown.
Just as he was about to renege on his promise, the door to the restaurant opened. Nate stumbled in, excited to see them still sitting in the restaurant.
"Thank god I was able to catch up to you guys. How's the food? Any good?"
A unified approval from the teens was enough to make him feel good, especially as he essentially used them as guinea pigs.
"So what are you guys up to, how did your test—" Nate stopped talking, noticing Dylan's phone.
Dylan quickly swiped the phone from the table. "The test was fine! Totally aced it myself, no sweat."
"Yeah…okay. Guessing it was the same for the rest of you guys?"
Another unanimous answer.
"Ok…yeah that's great."
"Um…dad?" CJ asked him. "You feeling okay?"
"Yeah, just great." He took a seat and took a deep sigh. "None of you grow up, okay? Enjoy your youth while you can."
"Dad," CJ brought the plate of sushi over to him. "Just take one."
Nate looked over and happily obliged, following up with a look at the menu on the table.
If he was certain about anything today, it would be that fate wasn't going to ruin this moment for him.
After lunch, Dylan managed to talk the group into heading back to TCG Towers for some quick matches with the locals and so Nate departed from the group and left the teens to their own muses. They spent the remainder of the afternoon getting whatever leftover urges out before they broke up for the evening. Homework beckoned for them so they all agreed to call it an early night.
"I never really thanked you, did I?" Jamie asked CJ as they entered their apartment building.
"For what?"
"For actually coming to save me…"
CJ scoffed. "Yeah, if you wanna call being scared out of my mind an act of rescuing."
"Fact is it was brave. If I'm being honest, I didn't expect it."
"Neither did I. I'm sorry, by the way."
"For what?"
"For thinking that it was your fault that Jake ended up hurt, and everything happening."
"Well, I don't blame you. I did act rash. Just that a team is as strong as its leader. And I'm the type who doesn't like to rely on people, so…the idea that I was the only one without an Evolution Creature, made me feel like a weak little girl in a way."
"And a weak little girl you ain't." CJ crossed his arms. "At least, that's what my Dad thinks of you."
"Well you're not to bad yourself. Speaking from experience, of course." Jamie said with a smirk.
"So you admit that you lost against a newbie?"
"I may have lost the battle but the war will be mine."
"Yeah, we'll see about that Partner."
Jamie stopped herself and repeated the word. "Partner…"
"Yeah… after all we're partners now."
The elevator opened and the pair walked in. As the door closed, Jamie turned to him, her expression beginning to shift.
"You know who the mole is." She stated.
CJ turned to her and her expression made him grow cold. "How did you get that assumption?"
"Earlier before, you were going to tell them Luke helped you save me."
"Well yeah before you stopped me!"
"That has to be it… it was him!"
"Jamie what are you going on about?"
"During my test! My drone was hacked into, it started speaking to me, using these 'Survivor' creatures, I don't know—point is! Something was off between your dad and Mr. Wilson earlier and then your dad suddenly had to run off and take care of something."
"Okay…?"
"Back when Jake dueled Luke the first time, he knew more about the situation than I did. Jake knows more about the DCA than any of us, he even had Dylan hack into their database to get data on Luke and his team."
"Okay…?"
Jamie paused and sighed. "God, you are slow."
"Just get to the point!"
"Jake's father is plotting something against the DCA, isn't he?"
CJ grew cold. "I…I—!"
"That has to be it. Mr. Wilson had Luke steal the decks, he had him duel Jake to kill any suspicions tied to him, that's why Luke cared about my wellbeing because he couldn't afford me dying as a result."
"Whoa, that's a crazy conclusion you're jumping to!"
"And let me guess; he doesn't want any of us, not even Jake, to know because it'll mean the fate of the worlds?"
CJ grew quiet, his expression confirming her suspicions. "Why do you know all of this?"
"Because like my brother you are a terrible liar."
The doors to the elevator opened and an explosion from down the hallway knocked them off their feet.
"What was that?!" CJ screamed, his ears ringing. He looked towards the direction of the smoke and immediately realized the source.
"MOM! DAD!" CJ struggled to get on his feet, Jamie recovering quicker and helping him up. Covering their faces from the smoke they ran as fast as they could to the burning apartment, only making it to the doorway due to the flames that blocked their path.
Amongst the smoke laid a gaping hole in the wall, and on the other side of it was Cindy standing on top of a huge green serpent-like creature with blazing fire-like appendages extending from its slim, exposed body.
And just barely noticeable was his father, unconscious behind him.
"Let me go!" CJ tried to fight Jamie off of him as he fought hard to run into the apartment. "Dad no! No! God please let me go! Jamie Get off me! Please…!"
However, she wouldn't release him, fighting back tears with her grip growing tighter around him.
Cindy watched, amused by his struggle, as her creature backed off the building and began to put distance between them.
CJ's screams only grew louder, eventually contesting with the sirens of the emergency vehicles below.
Nate's vision slowly came into focus, his disorientation amplified by the headache he was experiencing. He pushed himself upright and took deep breaths as he came back to reality.
"Where am I…?"
"What I've called Hell for the last fifteen years…"
The familiar voice instantly snapped him back to reality. He turned around and saw his cellmate sitting in the corner with a humored smirk on his face.
"Jonah…?"
The man nodded. "Alive and kickin'."
