The Broken Silence

by MangoKat

A massive misunderstanding causes several operatives to defect from V.I.L.E. Carmen must now protect them before they're hunted down and killed. As Team Red fight against V.I.L.E, they begin uncovering a disturbing web of mysteries involving kidnap and murder. Everything always seems to point back to a certain mime. Who is Mime Bomb, and why does everyone seem to want him dead?

34. Siren's Song

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The Broken Silence

Chapter 34

Siren's Song

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The darkness was heavy, and seemed to press in from all sides. There were no windows, no electricity, and there was no light at all. The atmosphere of the lower basement was unnerving, and every now and then there was the sound of groaning pipes above.

Terry walked through the basement slowly as he shone his flashlight around the destroyed rooms. He observed the scorch marks that seemed to cover every wall, and he hoped the basement was still structurally sound. Almost everything around him was in complete ruins, but he found a few rooms that were mostly intact and began searching them, looking for medical supplies. Although the bullets had only grazed him, he knew he needed to treat the wounds before they got infected.

None of the rooms he searched had anything he could use, and Terry hoped he wouldn't have to just use soap and water. He'd been exploring for about an hour, and he was now wandering through what looked like some sort of research room. The room was in pretty good shape, and he began opening drawers and cabinets, hoping to find bandages. When he opened a metal cabinet, he nearly had a heart attack when he saw dozens upon dozens of jars filled with human body parts.

Holding a hand to his chest as he got over his fright, he stared at the jars in complete disgust. The body parts looked like they belonged to children, and Terry found his gaze settling on a large jar filled with eyes.

"What the hell, V.I.L.E?!" he muttered to himself.

Reaching out, he picked up the jar, and turned it around in his hands, staring at the eyes with morbid curiosity. Dozens of eyes stared back at him, and he wondered what V.I.L.E had been doing down in this basement before the fire. He'd seen the patient rooms that looked like prison cells, and the bones that littered the floors, and had a feeling the experiments done were probably pretty horrific. Setting the jar back on the shelf, he turned away, not wanting to think about this any more. Opening the next cabinet, he saw more jars and quickly closed it again.

"I'm working for Dr. Frankenstein," Terry commented to himself, "God…"

Terry crossed the room to where there were a row of white cabinets and hesitantly opened one. To his relief it was filled with medical supplies, and he began digging through, looking for something he could use. He grabbed a few rolls of bandages, and then came across a first aid kit. Just as he picked the kit up, he heard a terrified shriek echo through the hallways. Terry let out a curse as he realized he forgot to sedate Siren, and turned to hurry back to where he'd left him.

Terry sped up to a run as the shrieks became more and more terrified, and he hoped the other man wasn't in any danger. When he made it back to the room, he shone the flashlight at the bed only to discover Siren wasn't there. Moving the beam of light around the room, he found Siren curled up into a fetal position in the corner of the room. Siren had his arms covering his head and he was just shrieking in absolute terror. Terry had never seen him like this before, and he hesitantly approached, not sure about Siren's mental state that the moment.

"Siren?" he questioned.

Siren didn't respond, simply screaming as he rocked back and forth. Terry didn't see any sort of weapon in the smaller man's hands and so he knelt down beside him. He saw blood on the floor and on the white cloth of Siren's hospital gown and he realized it was from the IV.

"You ripped out your IV, you little shit!" Terry exclaimed in surprise.

Siren didn't respond, still shaking in absolute terror. When Terry reached out to pull him out of the corner, Siren shrieked even louder, and immediately began kicking and lashing out to defend himself. Siren wasn't very strong, and so Terry was easily able to overpower him. When he pinned the smaller man's arms to his sides to stop him from fighting, Siren began to hyperventilate and he struggled uselessly.

"Siren!" Terry said loudly, giving him a shake. "Siren!"

Siren's eyes opened, and when he looked up at Terry, his eyes were wild with fear, and full of tears. Terry had never seen him look so scared, and now he felt bad for his prank yesterday. Was Siren this scared when he'd sent him down here the day before?

"Siren, it's okay," Terry said, softening his tone a bit. "Calm down, nothing's going to hurt you. You're okay."

Siren gazed at him uncomprehendingly for a moment, and then finally quieted and went still.

Terry stared down at him for a few seconds warily, and when it seemed like Siren was finally starting to calm down, he released him. Siren kept a tight hold of Terry's arm as if worried Terry was going to leave, and then looked away from him.

"I..I thought you left me down here," Siren admitted in a quiet voice.

Terry hadn't realized Siren's fear of the dark was this severe, and pushed aside the twinge of guilt. "I wouldn't do that," Terry assured him, "I promise I won't leave you here."

Siren said nothing and when Terry went to get up, Siren tightened his hold on the arm in an almost painful grip. Terry pulled Siren up with him, and then shone the flashlight around the room until he found the spot he'd dropped the first aid kit. Siren remained attached to his arm like a barnacle, and Terry flashed him a somewhat annoyed look, but didn't comment. He assumed once Siren calmed down a bit more, he'd eventually let him go, and return to being a snarky asshole.

Terry stared at the now ruined IV on the floor, and knew this was his fault for forgetting to sedate Siren while he had the chance. He was now stuck with a conscious Siren until Vess returned. Terry picked up the first aid kit, and then took a seat on the cot, Siren still not making any move to let go of him.

"I need my arm back," Terry informed him.

Siren tightened his grip, and Terry let out a sigh, turning the flashlight to Siren so he could see him. Siren looked a bit more calm, but still frightened, and so Terry decided to be patient for a little while longer.

"I'm not going anywhere," Terry assured him, "I just need to bandage my injuries."

Siren's eyes traveled to the bloody spots on Terry's shirt and pants, and then he hesitantly shifted his grip from the arm to bottom of Terry's shirt instead. Terry rolled his eyes but didn't comment.

"Where is Vess?" Siren demanded.

"He got called away on some sort of emergency," Terry replied, opening the medical kit. "How are you feeling?"

"What the hell do you think, Kevin? The whole facility is trying to murder me, I'm now sitting in a murder basement in the freezing cold, wearing nothing but a bloody hospital gown, and with less than spectacular company."

Terry rolled his eyes again. Yup, Siren was starting to feel better.

"You remember what happened earlier?"

"Do I remember you slapping the shit out of me in the elevator, Kevin? Yes, yes I do remember that."

"Stop with the attitude, Siren. I did what I had to in order to save your life," Terry said, "Not that you appreciate it. Your life was in danger, and so I acted."

"Just because I hate you, and every other person in this damn lab, doesn't mean they have any right to just kill me," Siren muttered, "Vess had better fire them all."

Terry stopped bandaging his leg and turned the flashlight back on Siren. "You think they're trying to kill you just because you're a rude little toad?" he asked incredulously.

"Why else would they want me dead? I barely even leave my research lab."

Terry blinked down at him, feeling an odd sort of pity. "You really remember nothing," he stated.

"What are you talking about?" Siren demanded, "I never forget anything, stupid, I have an eidetic memory."

Terry shot him an unimpressed look. "What did you have for supper last night?"

Siren hesitated as he couldn't remember eating anything besides Terry's stolen lunch. "I didn't have supper," he answered.

"What happened after you stole my lunch yesterday?" Terry demanded.

"Is this your way of reminding me that I owe you a lunch?" Siren asked, "How petty can you get, Kevin?"

"Petty, Siren? Seriously? Everything you do is out of pettiness and vindictiveness," Terry snapped, "And no, this isn't about the stolen lunch; I don't care about that any more. Tell me what happened after that."

"Why?"

"Just humour me."

Siren heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes. "You were angry at me about the lunch and wallet, and girl-Kevin stopped you from hitting me. I wanted to go back to work, but for some reason she kept talking to me. She asked about my academy days…"

Siren hesitated and then frowned. "She wanted to know where I learned to pickpocket but...I couldn't remember…"

Siren went silent for a moment as confusion crossed his face. "Ted...something happened with Ted. He was...wrong."

"What happened with Ted?" Terry prompted.

Siren remembered throwing a pen at Ted, and then feeling utter horror and confusion, but he couldn't remember why that was. Why couldn't he remember? What was wrong with Ted?

"Ted was…" Siren trailed off, not knowing how to answer that question. "...wrong."

"How was he wrong?" Terry asked, genuinely curious.

Siren then shook his head, frustrated at his fuzzy memories. "I'll buy you a new damn lunch, Kevin."

"I don't care about that," Terry repeated as he fastened the bandages around his leg. "What happened after Ted?"

Siren clenched his hand more tightly against the fabric of Terry's shirt. Siren couldn't really remember what had happened, but he remembered the emotions. He remembered feeling confusion, then fear, and then a deep fury. After that all he remembered was pain, and then cold. Why had he been cold? Siren focused on that memory, and he remembered a cold so bitter it hurt, and then something warm and sticky on his hands. There was red and white all around him, and a deep sadness that felt like it was going to consume him. A tune was playing through his mind and he didn't even realize he began to hum it until Terry gave him a sharp shake.

"Siren?" he questioned. "Are you still with me? Can you hear me?"

Siren stared at him, his expression confused and Terry regretted bringing any of this up.

"I don't remember," Siren finally replied, "Why don't I remember? What happened?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pressed you on this," Terry answered.

Siren brought his knees up and rested his chin on them as he fought to remember anything from the night before. The cold had been painful, and Siren remembered it had paled in comparison to the pain he felt within his mind. The red and white filled his mind, and Siren hesitantly looked up at Terry.

"...I was outside," he said.

Terry paused from wrapping his arm, and he gave a hesitant nod. "You were," he confirmed.

"Kevin...you were there."

"I was."

"There was red...it was everywhere...the red was hot and sticky...and...it was blood."

This time Terry didn't answer and Siren quickly looked himself over for an injury. "But not mine…whose…?"

Terry was worried this line of thinking was going to make Siren begin to disassociate, and so he tried to change the subject. "It's freezing down here, you should wrap back up in your blankets."

Siren silently shook his head, his gaze turning to the dimly lit room. "It hurts to remember," he admitted, "What's wrong with me?"

Terry was in no way qualified to answer that question and had no idea how to respond. "You're a rude, mouthy, spoiled little brat," he supplied, still trying to distract Siren from this line of thinking. "You're unpleasant to absolutely everyone, you throw things at people, you yell at people, and you purposely try to belittle everyone you speak to. There's a lot wrong with you."

Siren scowled and kicked him hard in the thigh. "Go to hell, Kevin."

"Believe me, I'm already there," Terry replied, rubbing at his leg.

Siren let out a furious huff and edged away from him on the cot, turning his back to the other man. Terry noted that despite Siren's angry body language, he still didn't release hold of his shirt.

"You must be freezing," Terry commented, glancing at Siren's bare feet.

"I'm fine," Siren replied, sounding a bit petulant.

"Suit yourself," Terry replied as he set the first aid kit aside.

Removing his helmet, Terry dropped it down to the floor, and Siren glanced over at him. He stared at Terry's short blond hair and blue eyes and then shook his head.

"No, I don't like it, put it back on," he ordered. "Kevins wear helmets."

Terry rolled his eyes and ignored him as he adjusted himself more comfortably on the cot. Reaching for the blankets, he draped them over his shoulders, the bitter air in the basement almost unbearable. Terry watched Siren sit there stubbornly as the smaller man shook from the cold, and Terry wondered how long he would last. He watched him for twenty minutes or so in silence, and then heaved a sigh.

"Honestly, Siren," Terry commented, "Don't make my job harder than it has to be. Come here before you freeze to death."

"I said I'm fine," Siren snapped.

Siren then let out a startled yelp when Terry reached out and pulled him over beside him.

"Stop it!" Siren ordered, struggling against him.

Siren's skin was icy cold to the touch, and Terry pulled him in tight so they could share the blankets. Despite his show of protesting, Terry noted Siren didn't actually try that hard to get away from him. Now that Siren was pressed up beside him, he could feel how cold the other man was, and hoped he didn't already have hypothermia.

"Just a second," Terry told him, pulling his backpack over.

He dug through the backpack for a few minutes and then removed a thick and warm sweater. He shoved it into Siren's arms, and then set the bag aside.

"Put that on," he ordered. "My mother knitted it for me, and it's incredibly warm."

"It smells like cigarettes," Siren commented with a grimace.

"Yeah, because you drove me to take up smoking, you little shit. Do you have any idea how stressful it is working as your guard?"

Siren slipped the sweater on without further protest, and then pulled it over his knees as he continued shivering. The sweater was enormous on him, and it made Siren seem even smaller than he was. Although amused, Terry didn't comment, not wanting to start a fight.

"Have you called Vess yet?" Siren demanded, "When is he coming back?"

"I tried to call him, but I think he has his phone turned off," Terry replied, "Either that or he's somewhere without signal."

"Vess needs to hire better staff," Siren muttered.

"Well, at least I'm not trying to kill you," Terry pointed out.

Siren glanced at him, and then nodded. "True...I suppose. I still don't like you though."

"I expected no less, Siren," Terry replied, "Now, I have to turn the flashlight off to save the battery, alright?"

Siren immediately stiffened in fear and he shook his head. "No, no, no!" he protested, "I'm sorry for saying that! Don't turn it off! Please don't turn it off!"

"I'm not turning it off to be mean," Terry responded with a frown. "We don't know how long we're going to be down here for, and I want to make the flashlight last as long as possible."

"No, keep it on!" Siren begged.

Terry actually felt a little bad and shook his head. "Sorry, but you'll just have to deal with a bit of darkness. Take a nap or something if it bothers you that bad."

"No, Kevin, please don't-"

Siren cut off when Terry turned off the flashlight. Terry felt him begin to shake, and immediately Siren's breathing began to speed up.

"I'm still here, and you're still safe," Terry assured him.

Siren gripped onto him so hard that Terry winced, and then reached down to pry Siren's hands away from his side.

"No!" Siren cried out in a panic, latching on with even more force, his nails digging into Terry's skin.

"Ow, knock it off!" Terry yelled angrily, "You don't have to hold on that tightly!"

Terry pulled at Siren's hands whose reaction to that was to throw his arms around Terry's torso to make sure he couldn't go anywhere. This didn't hurt at least, and although it annoyed him, he cut Siren a bit of slack, knowing how terrified of the dark the other man was. Terry leaned back against the wall, intending on napping for as long as possible when he suddenly felt something wet on the front of his shirt. He frowned and reached down, his fingers gently feeling along Siren's damp cheeks.

"Are you crying?" he asked in disbelief.

"No!" Siren snarled with a bit too much venom to be believable.

"You don't have to be afraid," Terry assured him, "I'm here to protect you, and nothing is going to get you as long as I'm here. You're not going to be hurt, and you're going to be just fine."

"I'm not crying!" Siren protested, his shaky voice giving him away.

"Well, okay then," Terry responded in amusement. "Whatever you say."

"...I hate you, Kevin,"

Terry heaved a sigh, and didn't bother responding. He had a feeling this was going to be a really long couple days.

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Terry wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep, but when he woke, his neck was stiff and one of his legs had pins and needles. Reaching up a hand to rub at his neck, he let out a yawn and then reached down towards his leg. He quickly found the reason his leg was numb was because Siren was using it as a pillow. He could feel every breath Siren took, and it was deep and even, and so Terry knew he was asleep. Needing to find the bathroom, Terry very gently reached down and began shifting Siren off his leg. Siren was still clutching his shirt, but his grip was loose and Terry carefully pried his shirt out of his fingers, and then quietly slipped off the cot.

Turning on the flashlight, he glanced down at Siren briefly, and then crossed the room to look for a bathroom. After opening a few doors, he found a tiny bathroom and hoped the plumbing still worked. Reaching out a hand, he pressed down on the handle of the toilet, and was relieved when it flushed. Entering the bathroom, he closed the door, and had just sat down when he suddenly heard Siren call out for him in a panic.

"Kevin?"

Terry let out a groan.

"Kevin?!"

Terry rolled his eyes, knowing this was bound to get annoying very quickly.

"Kevin?!" Siren was clearly starting to panic, and so Terry called out to him.

"I'm just in the bathroom, I'll be out in a minute!"

Siren went silent for a moment and then there was the sound of something crashing to the floor and shattering. Terry let out another groan. Why did his every interaction with Siren have to be so exasperating?

"Stay on the cot!" he called out, "You're going to hurt yourself. I'll be back in a minute, just stay where you are."

"Kevin?" Siren called out again, his voice slightly closer.

"Dammit, Siren, can I just have two minutes of privacy? Go back to the cot!"

There was another crash, and then a yelp from Siren. Terry was annoyed, and wished he hadn't forgotten to sedate the other man. Things would have been so much easier that way.

"...ow," Siren complained quietly from nearby.

"What happened?" Terry demanded, "Did you fall?"

"...no."

When there was a third crash, Terry let out a frustrated curse. "Go back to the cot, Siren, now."

There was a suspicious pause of silence and Terry narrowed his eyes at the door, not liking the fact Siren didn't answer. He then saw a shadow underneath the bathroom door, and he sighed.

"Siren, are standing outside the bathroom door?" he demanded.

"...no," Siren answered directly from the other side of the door.

Terry heaved another sigh, having a feeling Siren was sitting in the small bit of light coming from underneath the bathroom door. Reaching out, he locked the door, wanting at least that amount of privacy.

"What did you trip over?" Terry asked, "Are you hurt?"

"...no."

Siren was sounding a bit off, and Terry hoped he wasn't starting to disassociate.

"Are you okay?"

"...no."

Terry finished using the toilet and then flushed, turning his attention to the sink. Turning on the water, it ran black for a few seconds before turning clear. To his surprise, the water was warm, and he wondered how that was possible without electricity. Reaching for the petrified bar of soap, he washed his hands, and then finally unlocked the bathroom door. When he pushed open the door, it bumped Siren's knees who was sitting there waiting for him.

Terry shone the light on him, and he quickly saw Siren's eyes were unfocused and he seemed somewhat confused.

"Siren?" Terry questioned.

Siren looked up at him.

"Are you alright?"

"...no," Siren repeated for the fifth time.

Siren was still speaking which was good, but Terry knew this could easily lead to Siren fully disassociating. Reaching down, he pulled Siren to his feet, and then pressed the flashlight into his hands.

"The bathroom works," he told him, shoving him towards the room. "I'll wait here for you."

Siren didn't answer, his expression still looking confused, and Terry wondered if this is what normally happened when Siren began forgetting things. Siren simply stared at him, and so Terry pushed him into the bathroom and then closed the door.

Leaning against the door as he waited, Terry wondered how long they were going to have to remain in the lower basement. He had only packed enough food to last a few days, and if he had to share with Siren, that wasn't going to last very long. Siren barely ever ate anything, and Terry had a feeling the other man wouldn't want anything. Terry wasn't certain what caused Siren's disinterest in food, but Vess was always fighting with him to get him to eat something. Siren was terribly underweight, and Terry knew that unless he bullied him into eating, he'd likely get sick before Vess' return.

Terry waited five minutes calmly, but after ten and then fifteen, he began getting a bit impatient. He gave a knock to the door.

"Siren? You fall asleep in there?"

There was no answer.

Terry knocked a bit louder.

"Can you please answer me so I at least know you're not dead?"

There was no reply.

"Siren, if you don't answer me, I'm coming in," Terry warned.

He waited a few seconds and then let out a sigh. Opening the bathroom door, he was met with the sight of Siren standing in front of the sink, simply watching the water spin down the drain. His hands were covered in soap, and it was obvious he'd been in the process of washing his hands when he'd suddenly stopped. He was humming quietly to himself as he watched the water, and Terry was instantly wary.

"Siren?" Terry questioned.

Siren didn't look up.

Terry looked him over and when he didn't see any signs of a weapon, he cautiously approached. Reaching out, he placed a hand on Siren's shoulder who flinched back like he was startled. He turned to stare at Terry with wide eyes, and for a just a moment there was no recognition in his eyes. He then blinked and gave Terry a dirty look.

"I don't need a damn Kevin in the bathroom with me," Siren snapped as he finished washing his hands.

Relieved Siren had snapped out of it, Terry said nothing, simply waiting for Siren to finish. Siren glared at him as he turned off the tap and he then wiped his wet hands across Terry's arm to dry them.

"God dammit, Siren," Terry cursed, glancing down at his wet arm, "Why are you always such a nasty little shit?"

Siren gave him a shrug as he shone the flashlight at the huge mess on the floor of the lab. There was shattered glass and broken pieces of plastic strewn across the room, and Terry assumed Siren had tripped over several medical carts when he'd been stumbling around in the dark.

"Here, let me see the flashlight for a second," Terry ordered, "You're in your bare feet and I'll clear the glass away."

Siren jerked the flashlight out of his reach and then headed through the glass without a single word. Terry let out a deep sigh and followed, having a feeling Siren was going to regret that decision. Siren seemed a lot calmer than he was before, and he assumed it was probably because he had temporary control of the flashlight. Hoping it wasn't going to be a battle to get it from him, he watched as Siren carefully stepped around the glass. Terry kicked most of the glass aside to make a path, noticing that Siren was once again shaking from the cold.

They could see their breath, and Terry worried they'd freeze to death if it got much colder.

"The temperature must be dropping outside," Terry stated, "We should stay covered up as much as possible."

Siren flashed him a look that said 'no shit' but he didn't comment, instead taking a seat on the cot. Sitting cross-legged, Siren rubbed at his frozen feet as Terry took a seat beside him. Siren was so cold that he edged over without protest, allowing Terry to wrap the blankets over their shoulders.

"We can't keep that flashlight on for too long," Terry advised him.

Siren clutched the flashlight so tightly, his knuckles turned white, and Terry frowned but didn't comment. He instead reached down and pulled up his backpack as Siren watched him warily. Terry dug around inside for a moment and then pulled out a couple thermoses.

"Are you hungry?" Terry asked.

"No," Siren replied, "I'm fine."

"You haven't eaten since yesterday," Terry pointed out, "You must be hungry!"

Siren shook his head and hugged his arms to his chest, shivering uncontrollably. Terry saw Siren was once again looking a bit confused, and he hoped the other man wasn't going to start disassociating. Terry held a thermos out towards him, but Siren made no move to take it.

"Come on, you have to eat something," Terry urged.

Siren's response was to flop over onto his side, clearly having no intention of eating. Terry stared down at him for a moment, and set the thermoses aside, inside reaching into his bag for a sandwich.

"I have a few sandwiches if you want one," he invited.

Siren didn't respond, simply humming to himself as he clutched the flashlight tightly.

"We can't keep that light on," Terry stated, taking a bite of his sandwich. "Please turn it off."

Siren ignored him, his grip not loosening from the flashlight. Terry had a feeling this was going to be a battle, and decided to allow him to keep the light on for a few minutes until he was finished eating. Although Terry could have eaten several sandwiches, he limited himself to just one, not knowing for sure how long they were going to be trapped in the basement. He set his backpack down on the floor and then glanced down at Siren, hoping the other man wouldn't give him a hard time about the light.

"We need to turn off the light now," Terry said firmly, "The batteries won't last long if we're not careful."

Siren didn't answer or even look at him.

"Are you okay?" Terry asked with a frown.

Siren said nothing and so Terry slowly reached out for the flashlight. Siren's reaction was instantaneous and he kicked Terry as hard as he could, gripping the flashlight against his chest.

"Ow, what the hell, Siren?" Terry snapped, angrily.

Not having the patience to deal with a Siren tantrum, Terry reached over and yanked the flashlight away from the smaller man, Siren immediately kicking out at him again.

"Kick me again, you little shit, and I swear I'll hit you back!" Terry warned. "Don't think I won't!"

Terry then flicked the light off, and Siren was immediately clinging to him again. Terry let out a sigh of resignation, knowing that it was at least better than being kicked.

"How are you feeling?" Terry asked, "Are those sedatives still in your system?"

Siren still didn't answer, and Terry frowned when he felt how cold the other man was. Even with the sweater, Siren's whole body felt icy to the touch, and Terry assumed it was probably because he was too thin to hold much body heat. If it got much colder, Terry would have to search for more blankets before they both froze to death.

"Let me know when you get hungry," Terry ordered, "You can't go days without eating something."

Siren said nothing, but his grip on Terry's shirt tightened ever so slightly. Whenever Siren got quiet like this, it was reason to be concerned, and Terry really hoped Siren wouldn't kill him in his sleep. Now that the thought was in his mind, Terry became a bit nervous, knowing he'd be completely helpless if Siren disassociated during the night. Placing a hand on Siren's shoulder, he intended on keeping his hand there so he could feel the moment Siren tried to get up.

Having nothing else to do, Terry dozed off and on for a while, hoping Siren would do the same. When Terry awoke cold after a particularly long nap, he stretched, wondering why it had gotten so cold. He then reached down and was shocked to discover Siren was gone. Sitting up abruptly, he felt around the cot and realized Siren had stolen the flashlight.

"...that little shit!" Terry muttered, fumbling in his pocket for his cellphone.

Turning on the light, he shone it around the room, but there was no sign of Siren anywhere. Thinking he'd perhaps gone to the bathroom, Terry crossed the room, and then stared at the open bathroom door. Terry heaved a sigh, and glanced towards the hallway. Where would Siren have gone? He was terrified of the dark, and so what would have made him leave on his own?

Terry furrowed his brow in annoyance and then left the room to begin searching for the other man.

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The beam of the flashlight was incredibly bright and Siren felt better about being in the basement when he could clearly see. The air was frigid, and his bare feet were already numb from the cold. It was the cold that made him leave the cot, and he went from room to room, looking for something that could be used for warmth. Almost everything was destroyed from the fire, and Siren stepped over debris as he passed through a few rooms.

Siren knew Terry had saved his life, and honestly wasn't quite sure what to think about that. Siren had been in the lab for ten years, and he'd seen dozens of guards come and go, and it seemed pointless to be friendly to them. Why bother getting to know someone who could be reassigned at any moment? The only constant in his life was Dr. Vess, and they didn't exactly get along. They didn't hate each other, but they also weren't friends. They were lab partners, and although they worked well together, that was as far as their personal relationship went. He and Vess respected one another, but they didn't particularly like each other.

Siren knew he was probably lonely, but he'd honestly never really considered it before. He mostly just threw himself into his work, and tried not to think about too much of anything. Terry had lasted the longest out of any of his guards and he was surprised the man hadn't quit or gotten himself fired yet. He thought Terry hated him, but yet the other man had still saved his life. He could have easily allowed the other guards to kill him, but instead he put his own life in danger in order to protect him. He didn't really understand it, and Siren doubted he would ever be able to. Siren didn't understand other people, and found them to be irritating and confusing. He knew he was probably better off by himself, but had to admit he now owed Terry his life.

Siren hummed to himself as he walked, not afraid as long as the flashlight was on. Siren soon found himself near the burnt out patient rooms, and like before, he found himself pausing to stare at them. He got a weird feeling as he stared at them, and he reached out a hand towards one of the doors. Pulling it fully open, he gazed into the blackened room, his eyes taking in the sight of the ruined furniture and piles of ash on the floor.

Running a hand through his hair, Siren felt like this room in particular was somehow important. Rubbing a hand across the metal plate on the door, he stared at the two engraved letters with a frown. Y.V. What did this mean? Why did that seem to pull on his memories in an uncomfortable way? He could feel a memory trying to force its way through the fog, and Siren's humming became a bit louder as he ran his fingers over the letters.

Y.V.

Siren stared into the room, and for just a moment he saw a small red-haired boy staring back at him. Siren jumped back, and rubbed at his eyes, but when he looked back, there was nothing there. He frowned, as he realized the boy was a memory.

Y.V.

This boy was Y.V.

Siren felt a deep sadness that he didn't understand, and the face of the boy was now all he could think of. The boy was thin, and although only eleven or twelve, he was the same height as Siren. He pictured the boy's pale and sad face, his freckles, and his vibrant blue eyes, and Siren wished he could remember who he was. The boy was important, but felt like a ghost; there and not there at the same time. Feeling a building pressure in his head, Siren rubbed at his temples, and rested a hand on the door with a frown. Why was it so hard to remember? What happened down in this basement?

Siren began to softly sing as a way to distract himself, and he turned away from the room, feeling a sudden sense of unease that made him shiver. He felt an odd heaviness in his mind, and he was frightened by it. There was a distinctly dark feeling that came from the fog, and he wasn't certain he wanted to mess with that just yet. Something was telling him he wasn't meant to remember, but it was frustrating and confusing.

Siren sang to himself as he walked along the hallways, knowing he couldn't remain in this cold for too much longer. Everything around him seemed familiar to him now that he could see, and Siren found himself walking in a particular direction, allowing instincts to take over. His mind seemed to know exactly where to go, and he walked hallway after hallway until coming to a large room filled with cabinets. His mind supplied him with the information that this was a nurses supply room, and he glanced around, seeing the room was covered in ash.

He began opening cabinets and almost everything was ruined from the fire. Still singing to himself, he searched the room, and finally came to a large closet. Opening the door, he was met with the sight of a dead Kevin and let out a startled shriek and dropped the flashlight. Clutching his chest and taking a few deep breaths, he knelt down to pick up the flashlight. The glass had a crack in it, and now the light was blinking on and off like a strobe light. He gave it a shake, but it only made it worse.

Letting out a curse, he turned the light back on the body and stared at it in revulsion. The body didn't appear to be burnt, and it was curled up on its side like it had simply laid down and died. Siren stared for a few seconds and then realized the Kevin had tried to hide in the closet during the chaos and probably died of smoke inhalation.

Siren glanced past the body and saw what he was looking for. Sealed in airtight plastic were blankets used for the patients. Or at least they used to be for the patients. Stepping around the body with a grimace, Siren ventured into the closet, glad that at least the body didn't seem to have a bad smell. Reaching up for one of the blankets, he realized he couldn't reach, and he cursed his short height vehemently. Letting out a sigh, he gripped the shelf and climbed up, tossing down five of the heavy blankets.

Just as Siren was climbing back down, the closet door closed. Siren turned the light towards the door, and then ran for it, already panicking. To his horror, the door wouldn't open, and he now knew how the Kevin on the floor had died. Siren banged on the door as hard as he could, and felt terror completely consume him. Terry would never find him here. He was going to die in this closet next to the dead Kevin.

It was then that the flashlight decided to go dead and Siren immediately shrieked in absolute terror. He banged and clawed at the door, but it didn't so much as budge. Hyperventilating, Siren screamed and pounded at the door, the darkness feeling like it was smothering him.

Suddenly the door opened and Siren fell face first onto the floor at Terry's feet. Siren stared up at him in terror, but quickly calmed when he saw who it was. He scrambled away from the closet and then hid behind Terry, just wanting to put as much distance between himself and the closet as possible.

"Siren, what the hell are you doing?" Terry demanded, glancing behind him at the smaller man. "Why did you leave the cot?"

Siren didn't answer, and Terry shone his phone's light into the closet. When he saw the body, he shot Siren an accusing look, but then he realized the body looked like it had been there for years.

"What happened?" Terry demanded. "Where's the flashlight?"

Siren silently held up the broken flashlight, and Terry snatched it and then turned it off and on, cursing when it didn't work.

"Oh, this is just brilliant!" he snapped, "You broke our only flashlight! Great job, Siren, great job!"

Siren scowled up at him. "Shut up, Kevin! The dead Kevin startled me and I dropped it! It could have happened to anyone."

"No, only you would be enough of a little shit to leave the safety of the cot to wander around getting hypothermia!" Terry responded angrily. "Are you hurt?"

Siren shook his head, and Terry was tempted to throttle him, knowing how big of a loss the flashlight would be.

"Do not leave my sight again, do you hear me?" Terry said, his tone not to be reckoned with. "I can't protect you if you're doing stupid things like this!"

Siren was instantly offended.

"Oh, shut up, Kevin!" he snapped, "No one can get down here! I was perfectly safe!"

"You accidentally locked yourself in a closet like a toddler," Terry pointed out.

Siren flushed in embarrassment, and he quickly lost his temper. Without thinking of the consequences of such an action, he hauled off and kicked Terry hard in the back of the kneecap. Terry let out a grunt of pain, and stumbled forward, and Siren grabbed a nearby piece of broken wood and lifted it over his head to throw it, fully intending on having a tantrum like he normally did.

That idea was abruptly cut off however, when Terry suddenly seized him by the front of his shirt, and raised his hand like he was going to hit him. Siren instantly lost all bravado and he dropped the piece of wood to the floor, and covered his face, waiting for the blows to start raining down.

Terry stared down at him angrily for a moment, and then heaved a loud and impatient sigh at the sight of the cowering scientist. Without a single word, he gave Siren a sharp swat across the back of the head, and Siren yelped in surprise, and instantly reached back to rub at his head.

Terry then wagged a finger at him like he was scolding a child, expression fed up.

"Do it again, Siren, I dare you. Hit me again."

Siren glanced up at him with wide eyes and then averted his gaze sullenly.

"That's what I thought." Terry responded. "Now, are you going to tell me why I just spent the last thirty minutes looking for you?"

"...I found some more blankets." Siren replied, still looking away.

Terry shone the light into the closet and saw the blankets laying on the floor. Knowing they would still be perfectly usable from being sealed in plastic, he gave Siren a surprised look.

"Why didn't you just tell me you knew where more blankets were?" Terry demanded. "I would have gone with you, and then none of this would have happened."

Siren gave him a puzzled look. "Why would I ask you for help? You're just a Kevin."

Terry simply shook his head. "Siren, you are the absolute worst."

Without another word, Terry entered the closet and scooped up the five blankets. They were heavy, and he knew they would be warm. Shifting them awkwardly into one arm, he handed Siren the phone, and then seized him by the back of the shirt.

"Go," Terry ordered, "I'm keeping you where I can see you."

Siren struggled a bit against being frogmarched like an errant toddler, but Terry's grip couldn't be broken. Siren had no choice but to walk along with him, holding the light so they could both see. When they got back to their room, Terry gave Siren a shove towards the cot, who stumbled and then turned to glare up at him.

"On the cot," Terry ordered, "I'm fed up, and I suggest you don't push me too far."

Siren was cold and so he took a seat on the cot and wrapped himself in the blankets. He didn't realize how cold he'd been until that moment, and he began shaking uncontrollably, unable to warm himself up. He watched as Terry used a pocketknife to open the packaged blankets, and then Terry immediately wrapped the first one around Siren's shoulders. The blanket was heavy and warm, and once a second one was added, Siren could finally feel himself starting to warm up a bit. Once all blankets had been opened, Terry crawled up beside Siren, and they wrapped themselves in all five blankets, sitting close to share body heat.

"Let me see the flashlight," Siren ordered.

"It's broken," Terry responded, "Something came loose inside and I can hear it rattling around."

"Just let me see it."

Terry handed it over without protest and then watched as Siren began disassembling the flashlight. Siren removed piece after piece out of the casing until he found the piece that had broken off.

"Let me see your knife for a second."

"Like hell, Siren!" Terry responded, not wanting it to end up stabbed into his throat.

"Give me the damn knife, Kevin!" Siren snarled impatiently, "Do you want this flashlight repaired or not?"

Terry hesitated, and stared down at Siren warily. Siren certainly seemed completely lucid at the moment, but that could change quickly.

"Tell me what to do, and I will handle the knife," Terry said firmly, "You're not touching my knife or any other weapon during my watch."

Siren looked ready to say something nasty, but surprisingly enough, he showed a bit of restraint. "This piece of metal needs to be bent back into place," he responded, handing over a tiny part.

Terry stared at the part and had no idea what it was. Taking his knife out, he very carefully bent the part back into place, and then he handed it back to Siren. Siren flashed him a glare, but said nothing as he began reassembling the flashlight. Once it was back together, he turned it on and to Terry's surprise it worked.

"You fixed it!" he exclaimed in surprise.

"I create vaccines and research diseases, I should I hope I'd be able to fix a damn flashlight." Siren snapped, clutching the light tightly.

Terry knew those skills were not in any way related, but he didn't comment. He knew Siren was a genius, but he honestly didn't get to see him do much most of the time. Siren mostly got stuck doing paperwork which made him bored and irritable, and then he was an absolute asshole to everyone around him.

"We still need to save the battery of that flashlight," he pointed out.

Siren didn't answer and so Terry reached over and snatched it out of his hands.

"HEY!" Siren protested furiously.

"Are you hungry yet?" Terry demanded.

"No." Siren snapped.

"You need to eat something," Terry told him with a frown. "It's been nearly two days now since you've eaten."

"I'm not hungry," Siren responded impatiently. "I'll eat when I want to."

Terry rolled his eyes and flicked the light off.

Siren said nothing, and simply buried himself within the blankets, still shivering as one of his hands clutched Terry's shirt tightly. Terry lit a cigarette, his nerves completely shot, and he focused on calming down. Siren was an unpleasant asshole, but Terry would still keep him safe. It took two more cigarettes before Terry finally relaxed. He texted his wife in silence for a while, and when he next checked on Siren, he found him sound asleep. Hoping he would stay that way for a good long while, Terry simply sat in the dark in silence, not trusting Siren to stay where he was supposed to.

Siren slept for most of the night, and when Terry could hear the other man's stomach growling, he let out a sigh. Siren was obviously hungry, but yet, like with everything else, Siren had to make things difficult. Reaching down to his backpack, he pulled out his two thermoses, and then reached over to shake Siren awake.

Siren gave a jerk of surprise when Terry shook him, and when he woke up to complete darkness, he let out a startled gasp.

"You need to eat something now." Terry ordered. "You're going to get sick."

"Turn the light on!" Siren begged, his hand tightening on the edge of Terry's shirt.

Terry obliged and turned the flashlight on and Siren instantly calmed down, reaching for it. Terry allowed him to take it, and then held out a thermos towards him.

"Here, you need to eat. Your stomach is growling."

Siren buried himself in the blankets again, finally warm and just wanting to remain there. Terry pulled the blankets away and an icy blast of cold hit Siren like a slap and he jumped.

"You are going to eat something," Terry told him firmly.

"What the hell is with you, Kevin?" Siren demanded angrily. "Your job is to guard, not to badger me about my eating habits! Why the hell do you think you have the right to nag me?! I told you I'm not hungry and so let it drop."

"No, you're going to eat now before you get sick," Terry responded, "Now, stop being a colossal asshole, and just do as you're told!"

Siren hated being nagged over things and he flashed him an annoyed look. "Mind your own business, Kevin," he snapped, "Your job is to guard, but apparently that concept is too difficult for you, since you already lost me once!"

Terry felt himself get angry. "Why do you hate me so much?" he demanded, "I've done nothing but keep you alive, you ungrateful goblin! I fought to get you to safety, I got shot twice, and I am now freezing my ass off down in this disgusting basement, but do you care? Of course not! You appreciate nothing done for you just like a spoiled child!"

Siren started to speak, but Terry quickly interrupted him.

"Not a word!" he snarled, "I've put up with this attitude for SIX months and now you're going to listen to what I have to say!"

Siren stared at him with wide eyes, clearly not expecting such a strong reaction to his words.

"I know you have quite a few 'issues' but that is no excuse for how you treat people!" Terry scolded, "You go out of your way to be a nasty little troll to everyone you meet and it's ridiculous that you get away with it! The whole facility caters to your every whim, and if anything happens that you don't like, you have a tantrum and throw things like a child ! I have three boys at home who act better than you do! I have no idea why Dr. Vess tolerates your behaviour, but I'm through dealing with it. You are going to be quiet, and you are going to do as you're told, or I swear I'm going to smack you upside the head, do you understand?"

Siren simply stared at him, and Terry scowled.

"Six months I put up with the abuse, Siren, six months. No more . I am a person , and I'm through being treated like an object. Do you think I don't feel, that I don't care what people say to me? All I want is a little basic human decency from you. You have no friends, no family, and you're always alone. Perhaps if you treated people a little nicer, you wouldn't be so lonely. Now let me do my job, and keep you safe."

Siren said nothing at all, but his eyes were looking suspiciously bright. Terry now felt like a heel, knowing how overly sensitive the other man was. He didn't regret his words however, knowing everything he said to be true.

"You need to eat something," Terry said firmly, "My wife packed some food, and I'll share it with you."

Siren's expression turned angry in an instant, clearly over the shock of being scolded like a child. He pointedly looked away from Terry, and still said nothing.

Terry unscrewed the lid of one of the thermoses, and glanced inside it. "Here, have some homemade soup," he invited, "It will help warm you up."

"I've tried your wife's cooking, and so I'll pass," Siren responded rudely.

"Dammit, Siren," Terry said in frustration, "Just eat the stupid soup before I decide to drown you in it!"

Terry pressed the thermos into Siren's hands who, upon realizing it was warm to the touch, clutched it like a lifeline. Terry opened the second thermos and took a gulp of the soup within, instantly feeling a little bit warmer. He watched Siren as the other man held the thermos for a minute or so before giving a sniff to the soup. Terry didn't comment, just waiting to see if he was actually going to try it. To his surprise Siren hesitantly lifted the thermos to his lips and tried a tiny sip of the hot soup.

"Well?" Terry demanded, "It's good, isn't it?"

Siren took another sip, the soup actually very good. "It's...edible," he finally responded.

Terry rolled his eyes. "We need to turn off the flashlight now," he instructed, "We've already had it on for too long."

Siren tightened his grip on the flashlight and then shook his head.

Terry let out a sigh. "You know there's nothing to be afraid of," he said in a gentle tone, "I'm not going anywhere. There's nothing in the dark that can hurt you."

Siren glanced over at him. "There's always something hiding in the dark."

Terry furrowed his brow. "There's not," he assured him, "Why are you so afraid of being in the dark?"

Siren took another sip of the soup and Terry thought he wasn't going to answer. Siren hesitated for a few moments before he finally replied.

"I was here before."

"What do you mean? Here? As in here in this basement?"

Siren nodded.

"Did something happen?" Terry asked.

"What the hell do you think?" Siren snapped, "Look at the state of this basement, and then take a guess."

"It burned," Terry stated, "The whole building burned to the ground and people say that you were the one responsible for it."

Siren went quiet again for a moment. "I don't remember much," he admitted, "It hurts when I try to remember. I don't understand why so many of my memories seem to be gone. It's like they're hidden behind a thick fog that I can't see through."

Terry wondered if Dr. Vess knew about any of this. "What can you remember?" he asked, genuinely curious. "What happened?"

Siren screwed the cap back on the thermos, but continued holding it for the warmth. "I remember darkness," he replied, "Darkness and screams."

Siren's gaze was distant as he spoke, and Terry wasn't certain the smaller man was still shaking from the cold or whether it was from fear.

"The darkness was choking, and I was afraid, but I don't remember what of. The screams of people burning were all around me…"

Terry grimaced at the imagery, and now wondered if Siren's dissociative reality disorder was caused by trauma. That would actually explain a lot about Siren if he never got the professional help he needed at the time.

"I'm sorry," Terry said, "I shouldn't have asked about this. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Siren began rocking back and forth, his gaze distant, and it was clear he didn't hear Terry speak.

"I-I couldn't save them," Siren whispered, "I had to choose only one…I saved one boy. Everyone else burned, and I could do nothing about it."

Terry reached out and gave Siren's shoulder a gentle shake. "Okay, that's enough," he coaxed, "You shouldn't think about this."

"I covered his ears so he wouldn't have to hear it…" Siren said quietly, "I just wanted to protect him from what was happening… I don't know what happened to him after the fire. Did he die? Where is the boy?"

Terry shook him harder. "Siren, that's enough!" he said firmly, "You're going to make yourself unwell if you keep thinking about this. Can you look at me, please?"

Siren didn't react to him, his eyes looking unfocused as he thought. He began humming to himself, and Terry knew they were about to have a very big problem. He shook Siren's shoulder hard, but he didn't react to him. Knowing the flashlight could be used as a weapon, he quickly snatched it out of his hands. He then took away the thermos as well, leaving Siren no weapons if he suddenly lashed out.

Siren always sang the same song when he disassociated, and when he began to very quietly sing the words, Terry knew he'd messed up. If he didn't snap Siren out of it fast, the other man was going to get violent since he was clearly terrified. Terry had quickly learned that Siren lashed out if he thought someone was a threat which is why most of his victims were guards.

Siren suddenly took a swing at him, and Terry caught the fist, only immediately to have the other one swung at him. The hit didn't hurt much, and he pulled Siren against him, to hold him still as he pinned his arms to the side.

Siren thrashed and struggled against him, his song not pausing, and Terry knew this was heading to be a bad meltdown.

Vess tended to snap Siren out of his disassociation by slapping him over and over until it brought him out of it, but Terry didn't want to hurt him. Siren still had a dark bruise on his cheek from when Vess had struck him, and it made Terry feel bad, knowing Siren couldn't help it. He needed to be in a hospital where he could get the therapy and help he needed, but instead he was trapped within V.I.L.E.

Knowing how much Siren loved music, he decided to try something, and reached into his pocket to pull out his personal phone. Opening his music, he clicked play and turned the volume up. Siren continued struggling against him for a moment, but to Terry's relief he turned to stare at the phone, going silent. When Siren stopped fighting against him, Terry hesitantly released Siren's arms, who immediately reached for the phone. Terry allowed him to take it, and Siren turned the volume up higher, seemingly calm for the moment.

"Siren?" Terry questioned.

Siren didn't answer, his attention entirely on the phone. Having a feeling he'd successfully averted a crisis, Terry turned the flashlight off, knowing the battery needed to be saved. Siren let out a gasp of fear when the light was turned off, and he pressed himself against Terry as tightly as he could. Luckily the light from the phone seemed to be enough to satisfy him for now, and he made no protests. They listened to his playlist for about an hour before Siren finally spoke.

"I haven't heard a lot of this music before," he commented.

"You've been in this facility for ten years," Terry replied, "There's probably thousands of songs you haven't heard."

"...I've missed out on a lot, haven't I?"

"Most of that playlist is American artists. I know that you're fluent in dozens of languages, but when you speak English it's with an East Coast American accent. Are you American, Siren?"

He felt Siren nod against his shoulder.

"Where are you from?" Terry asked, "I'm from Maine."

"Oh, dear god," Siren commented.

Terry laughed. "There may not be much there, but it's home."

Terry reached towards the phone and then clicked on his photo app. "This is the lighthouse near where I grew up," he explained, "Beautiful countryside."

Siren reached out and flipped to the next photo, observing the rocky beach and ocean thoughtfully. There was a bit of snow on the beach, and a smiling woman with blond hair stood in the foreground.

"My wife, Lucy," Terry explained.

Siren stared at the beautiful woman with the nice smile, and then let out a snort. "You married way out of your league," he commented.

"Thanks," Terry responded dryly.

Siren flipped through a few more photos before pausing on one with Terry and his whole family sitting around a Christmas tree.

"These are my boys!" Terry said proudly, "Ethan, Edward, and Eric."

"You gave them all 'E' names?" Siren demanded, "Ugh...That's terrible... those poor kids."

Terry rolled his eyes, having a feeling Siren was just joking, and was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"I've worked in the lab as your guard for six months now, and I still don't know your name," Terry stated, "No one ever calls you anything besides Siren."

Siren glanced up at him and then gave a shrug. "That's because it doesn't matter anymore," he replied, "V.I.L.E doesn't care who I was, only who I am now."

"Well, I think people should know who you are," Terry challenged, "What is your name and where are you from?"

Siren listened to the music for a moment in silence as he stared at the family photo. Three boys… He had a brief flash of memory of two older brothers fighting over presents under a Christmas tree, and then shook his head. He was from a family of three boys as well. Siren wished he could remember more, but his head was throbbing, and he was tired.

"New Jersey," he finally replied, "I grew up in New Jersey."

Siren was a little surprised by his own answer, having no memory of where he was from, but New Jersey felt like the right answer.

"Ok," Terry said, feeling like this was progress, "And what is your name?"

Siren heaved a sigh, and didn't answer. Terry frowned at him, but didn't want to push him too far, and so he placed the thermos of soup back in his hands.

"You should try to eat a bit more," he instructed, "You haven't been eating much lately, and you're going to get sick."

To his complete surprise, Siren didn't protest, and accepted the thermos. Terry suspected it was because the thermos was warm, and watched him to make sure he was actually going to eat something.

Siren unscrewed the cap of the thermos and then drank a bit, much to Terry's relief. Terry then pressed a sandwich into Siren's hand, hoping he wouldn't refuse it. Siren stared down at the sandwich, and then began unwrapping it without a word. Terry watched as he opened the sandwich and then squinted at the ingredients with a frown.

"It's bologna." Terry informed him, rolling his eyes. "Guards don't exactly earn a lot of money and it's all my family can afford."

Siren stared at the bologna, an odd sort of memory coming to mind. He remembered standing on a chair next to a grey haired old woman, and was watching her make rows of bologna sandwiches. He reached out to help and dropped a slice of cheese onto one of the sandwiches. She turned a gentle smile at him.

" Are you helping me make your big brothers' lunches, gattino ?" she asked affectionately.

He nodded.

" Tomorrow you will be going to school too! " she told him. " You're such a smart patatino that I know you'll love it !"

Siren stared at the woman's soft and gentle face, and just like that the memory ended.

"Look, if bologna is too 'low-class' for you, I have a chocolate bar you can have instead." Terry said impatiently. "Not all of us can afford expensive lunches."

"I like bologna," Siren stated, his tone a bit hesitant.

He closed the sandwich again, and picked up half of it and took a small bite. Terry wasn't expecting that, and gave him a somewhat skeptical look, but didn't comment.

"Why can you only afford bologna?" Siren asked, genuinely confused.

"I have to pay rent, bills, and support my family. Doing all that on a guard's wage isn't easy."

Siren had never had to worry about money since he had no expenses, and so he couldn't relate. He literally had no need for money, and his funds just kept building up in an account he barely used. Sometimes he would order random things through Vess' computer, but Siren didn't really spend money otherwise.

"How much do guards earn?" Siren asked.

"$600." Terry responded.

"You work all day and only earn $600?!" Siren asked, completely aghast.

Terry blinked, and then grimaced. "...weekly, Siren. Guards earn $600 weekly."

Siren couldn't wrap his mind around that. "Seriously? I earn that hourly..."

Terry instantly felt a migraine beginning to appear and reached for a cigarette. The second he lit it, Siren wrinkled his nose at him, but surprisingly enough didn't comment.

Siren finished half of the sandwich and then wrapped the remaining half in the plastic wrap, handing it back to Terry. Terry gave him a frown, but knew half a sandwich was better than him not eating at all, and put it away without a word. Once he was done his smoke, he watched Siren for a moment, wishing they could just get along in the workplace. He didn't understand the way Siren acted, but knew there must be a cause of it. What exactly had happened to Siren to turn him into this nervous and angry person?

"I know you know my name," Terry said hesitantly, "You pretend that no one around you matters, but you proved you knew my name when you stole my lunch the other day. Why do you insist on calling me Kevin?"

"No one matters," Siren snapped, "Nothing matters. Every day is just face after face, most of which I never see again. Person after person appears and then disappears and so there's no point in remembering who they are."

"You know who I am," Terry pointed out.

Siren looked up at him for a moment, and then looked back to the phone without answering.

"Can you please start calling me Terry?"

"No."

"May I ask why?"

"You're a Kevin, and Kevins die," Siren replied with a shrug. "You won't be around long, and there's nothing that differentiates you from any of the other Kevins."

Terry frowned at him. How many guards had Siren gone through in ten years to begin thinking this way? Had he killed them all, or were guards dying in ways that Terry didn't know about? What happened with Siren before Terry was hired?

"I'm the guard who stood up to everyone else in order to save you," Terry pointed out, "I'm also the one who is sitting in this cold and dark basement with you while keeping you company. Doesn't that make me stick out from the others?"

Siren got a troubled look on his face and began to rock a bit, and Terry became curious over this. Every time Siren began to get upset he either began to rock and would find something to spin. It was almost like he did this in an attempt to calm himself down. Terry's eyes then widened as he realized something. Was Siren stimming? Terry thought back to a lot of Siren's mannerisms, and suddenly it made sense.

Terry pointed to one of the boys in the photo. "This is Ethan," he explained, "He has Aspergers Syndrome."

Siren gave him a puzzled look. "Yeah, so?"

"When he's scared or upset about something, he tends to rock or flap his hands in an attempt to calm himself down. This is called stimming."

Siren abruptly stopped rocking, and he narrowed his eyes. "I'm not autistic!" he snapped.

"Maybe not, but I think it's worth mentioning to Dr. Vess," Terry suggested, "Over the last decade or so, support for aspergers has taken strides, and I think you should look into it. There are thousands of online resources for help coping with it."

"I'm not autistic!" Siren repeated, getting mad. "Shut up, Kevin, I'm done talking to you,"

"I'm just trying to help."

"Unsolicited advice is rude," Siren retorted, shoving Terry's hands away from the phone.

Terry raised a brow. "Me? Rude? Siren, have you ever taken a look in the mirr-"

A loud metal clang came from down the hallway and they both froze.

"What...what was that?" Siren demanded, instantly clinging to Terry's shirt.

Terry stood to his feet. "Stay here," he ordered.

Siren tightened his grip on his shirt.

"Siren, stay here so I can go see what that was!" Terry whispered.

"You are not leaving me here by myself!" Siren hissed.

"I don't know what that was, and unless you want to end up dead, stay put!" Terry ordered firmly, pulling away from Siren.

Siren clutched the phone and listened as Terry carefully crossed the room in the dark. Siren couldn't see him, but after a few moments he could no longer hear Terry and assumed he was now out in the hallway. Siren sat perfectly still, barely daring to breathe, and he paused the music so he could listen for anything out of the ordinary.

There was another loud clang, and Siren flinched, and drew his knees up under his chin, not liking the fact he was now alone in the room. He sat there for a couple minutes, and then hesitantly got up from the cot, and stood up. Using the light from the phone, he carefully avoided the glass on the floor, and then crept over to the door. He peeked around the corner, but all he could see was darkness, and there was complete silence.

Slowly and silently making his way down the hall, the noises became more and more frequent, and when he began approaching the elevators, he could suddenly see light. Ducking into a nearby room, he peered around the corner, and watched as the elevator door suddenly opened. Six men armed with guns stepped out, and Siren felt his breath catch in his throat. Where the hell was Terry?! He didn't have to wonder long because suddenly there was the sound of gunfire and two of the men dropped to the ground.

As bullets rained through the hallway, Siren hung back, simply watching as more and more men left the elevator. He could now see that they'd cut through the roof of the elevator and were climbing down from above. There were now nearly a dozen men. There was no way Terry could win this. A moment later, a dark shape began running up the hall towards him, and Siren let out a yelp when his wrist was suddenly seized. Terry's pale and grim face came into the light and he immediately swatted the back of Siren's head angrily.

"I told you to stay put!" he hissed, "Do you ever listen?! Come on, we need to hide!"

Holding Siren by the wrist, he pulled him down the hallway as fast as he could. Yells and bullets lit the hallway around them, and Siren felt his heart beating fiercely in his chest as they ran faster and faster as the men chased after them. The smoke, darkness and gunfire was bringing up horrible images in Siren's mind and he felt himself begin to hyperventilate in fear.

He could clearly remember the hallways they ran, the maze of the lower basement appearing in his mind with perfect clarity. He had walked these halls hundreds of times, and he could visualize what they used to look like before the fire had destroyed everything.

"Come on," Terry ordered, tugging his arm harder, "Don't slow down! We have to find a place to hide!"

Siren couldn't speak, out of breath and absolutely terrified. He felt a bullet whiz past his ear, and they took a turn, narrowing avoiding a shot that landed right behind them. Shot after shot missed, the sound deafening in the basement.

Siren could remember running these same hallways, tugging a child after him, and he felt the fog in his mind fighting against him. He remembered how desperate he was to get out, the sounds of death all around him. He had been in a lot of pain at that time, his every step agonizing, but he had pushed past it to keep running.

Terry's grip tightened on his wrist, and they kept running, knowing they wouldn't be able to outrun them forever. Bullets ricocheted all around them, and Terry let out a hiss of pain as his shoulder was grazed.

A light suddenly shone on them from ahead and they screeched to a halt, realizing some of the men had circled to cut them off.

"We got 'em!" one of the men yelled out to the others.

Terry pressed Siren into the wall and stood in front of him to shield him from the other guards. Siren clutched Terry's shirt as he hid behind him, everything seeming far too familiar. He wheezed as he fought for breath, and had no idea how they were going to get out of this alive. They were going to be shot dead by over a dozen guards.

"Come on, Terry," one of the men called over, "We don't want to hurt you. Just let us have the little psycho, and we'll forget all about this. You're one of us, and we'll cover for you with Vess. No one will ever know you were involved."

"Kevin?" Siren whispered, knowing they were trapped.

"Shh," Terry scolded, keeping his eyes on the men blocking them.

"We understand that you feel loyal to your assigned job, but you know this needs to be done," one of the men said, "He barely even counts as a person. He'd so fucking broken that killing him is a mercy."

Terry said nothing, but it was obvious he was thinking hard. Siren clutched at Terry's sleeve in terror, but the other man didn't even spare him a glance.

"Look, man," another guard called out, "You hate the asshole, we all do, but that doesn't mean we're going to torture him. One quick bullet in the head and he's out of his misery. He won't even feel it. We're not monsters, and we don't want to cause him any pain."

Siren silently shook his head, but no one was paying him any attention.

"Don't be stupid, Terry," another man commented, "Do you honestly think you're going to get out of this alive?"

"No," Terry admitted, "I don't."

"Then surrender Siren, and we got your back when it comes to Vess," the guard replied, "We'll tell him the crazy fucker wandered outside and froze."

Terry stared at the men around him and they all looked the same. The same uniform, the same helmets, and even the same body shapes. They were faceless guards, and Terry couldn't even tell who any of them were. Was this what Siren saw when he looked at them? An endless supply of Kevins who were identical in every way? Terry shot a glance over his shoulder at Siren whose eyes were wide with terror, and then looked back to the other guards. Terry wasn't the same as them. He was Siren's guard, and he would show Siren that he wasn't just another faceless Kevin.

"Well?" one of the men demanded.

"Alright," Terry called back, "I'll let you have him,"

Siren sucked in a sharp breath, his grip tightening even more on Terry's shirt.

"No…" he whispered, "Please…Kevin I'm sorry! Please!"

Terry didn't respond to him, his attention entirely on the other guards. The men lowered their guns, and one of the men gave him a nod.

"Great, we knew you could be reasoned with," the man said smugly, "Just hand him over, and then we can all get out of this hellhole."

"Okay, I'm bringing him over now," Terry announced, "Don't shoot me."

Terry reached behind him and grabbed Siren by the arm, who immediately began struggling to get away. Terry was much stronger however, and his tight grip couldn't be broken. He began approaching the other guards, dragging the smaller man after him, a dozen flashlights trained on them. Siren looked so small surrounded by the large and burly guards, and he hunched in on himself, knowing there was no getting out of this.

"I want to make sure he dies with the first shot," Terry told them, "I'm going to put a bullet between his eyes myself. I want to make sure his death is completely painless."

Terry couldn't see the guards' expressions from behind their helmets, but he received a nod from one of them. Lifting his gun, he pressed it to Siren's head, who stared at him with pleading eyes, but he didn't utter a single word.

"Step back in case the bullet ricochets," said to the others.

They stepped aside and Terry pushed Siren through the crowd of guards until his back was to the empty hallway. Cocking the gun, Terry took a deep breath, preparing for what was to come.

"I just have one thing to say to you, Siren," Terry announced loudly.

He then gave Siren a hard shove past the other guards.

"RUN !" he bellowed out. " RUN, SIREN, HIDE!"

Terry then turned and began shooting the guards around him. Siren stumbled into the darkness and turned around just in time to see Terry shot by three different guards. Terry fell to the floor, and didn't move.

Gasping in horror, Siren turned and fled into the darkness, feeling his terror increasing by the second. Bullets came at him from all sides, and Siren knew the flashlight was giving him away. The thought of being in the dark without a light was enough to make him feel sick, but he knew he had no choice. Siren dropped the flashlight to the floor and continued running, his fingers touching the wall to avoid crashing into anything.

Memories kept flashing before his eyes, and Siren realized that if he closed his eyes and concentrated, he could see the hallways like they were ten years before, fully lit and freshly painted. Focusing everything he had on seeing the hallways, Siren's hand left the wall and he made the turns from memory, speeding up, knowing exactly where he was going. He stumbled over the occasional debris, but he kept going, just hoping to lose the men behind him.

Siren studied the map within his mind of the lower basement, and tried to figure out the best place to hide. Another bullet hit the floor near his feet, and he made another turn, knowing he couldn't last much longer. Siren was in terrible shape since he barely ever left his desk, and he was completely out of breath and wheezing. Pushing himself to keep going, he continued studying the basement's layout in his mind and knew where he could go.

The guards were large men, all over six feet tall and muscular, but Siren was small and thin. He ran for a ventilation shaft and pulled the cover off, knowing he was small enough to fit inside. Keeping his eyes squeezed firmly closed, he crawled in on his belly as fast as he could, and then wormed his way through the narrow space, hoping to get out of reach of the gunfire in the halls.

The dust inside the vent was choking, and he had a feeling the dust he felt beneath him was actually ash. Siren didn't have a mental map of the ventilation shafts, but he was smart, and he could figure them out easily enough by calculating the distances between rooms. Once he was certain he was safe for the moment, he stopped and sagged in exhaustion, gasping to catch his breath. He could hear the loud footsteps of the guards in the halls, as well as their angry voices. As Siren laid there, sweaty and wheezing, he thought of Terry, and he clenched his fists. Terry must have known he was going to die, but he chose to do it anyway. He had died to protect him.

Siren felt a deep anger consume him, and he kept seeing Terry fall to the ground over and over again in his mind. He hated Kevins. He hated them with a passion. He thought of Terry's family photo, everyone happy and smiling in front of the Christmas tree, and he slammed a hand down in frustration. Why did Terry have to show him that? Why did he have to be so nice to him? Why did he die for him, when he still had so much to live for? Why couldn't he have just let him hate him?

Siren wiped at his wet eyes with the back of his dirty hand, knowing he had failed Terry. He owed Terry absolutely everything and the man had died without so much as a word of thanks from him.

Siren felt the fog within his mind crash over him, and it began lessening his pain and so he allowed it to come.

Siren took a deep breath, and heard the echo of a song deep within his mind. The song seemed to be calling him from the fog, and Siren found himself reacting to it, his mind settling into a deadly calm. The song was soft and sweet, almost like a whisper, and he knew he'd heard it before long ago. It was beckoning him, and he allowed his mind to drift towards it, feeling like the song was urging him to do something. He found himself crawling through the shaft from room to room, his memories directing him on where to go.

When he made it to his destination, he pushed open the vent, and pulled himself out, remembering the room he was in perfectly. Stepping across the room, he reached for the cabinets and opened them, his hands finding dozens of glass bottles. Not even needing to look to see what they were, he began opening them, humming as he did so. He began combing the bottles together, the smells strong and choking. Reaching for bottle after bottle, he added the perfect amounts of each to his concoction, and then he screwed the cap on his bottle. Humming a bit louder, he crossed the room and began opening drawers, feeling around carefully what he was looking for. His hand came away with a sharp knife, and now he knew he was ready.

Crawling back in the vent, and heading for a new destination, the song within his mind got louder and more demanding by the second. He could still hear the Kevins as they ran through the halls looking for him, and he continued on his way, not paying them any mind. Siren pushed open the vent and pulled himself out, now back in the room he and Terry had been staying in. He felt the glass crunching beneath his bare feet, but he felt nothing, his mind numb and protected from his song. His feet slipped from the blood as he walked, but he ignored it, heading for the cot. He felt around and when he found Terry's backpack, he picked it up and opened it. He felt inside the bag for several minutes, until he found what he was looking for in the front pocket.

Opening the pack of cigarettes, he lit one with the lighter inside, still not opening his eyes as he brought the cigarette to his lips. Holding it there, he then began unscrewing the bottle as he walked towards the door. Slashing his hospital gown with his knife, he stuffed a piece of fabric into the mouth of the bottle, and then removed the cigarette from his lips.

The haunting song was calling to him louder than ever, and he finally answered it, his voice ringing loud and clear through the empty hallways. Siren spun as he walked, his eyes finally opening as he heard the Kevins approaching. Siren sang with everything he had, his voice echoing around him eerily, allowing his emotions to be swallowed by the song. Siren could feel his whole mind spinning along with the song, and he turned his body with it.

"He went nuts again," he heard a voice yell, "Idiot is drawing us right to him!"

Siren spun and spun without a care in the world, and he heard the Kevins getting closer and closer, their footsteps thundering down the hall towards him. Siren was suddenly illuminated in a dozen flashlight beams and he continued his spinning and singing, the song within his mind absolutely deafening. Nothing else mattered now, and Siren felt completely calm as he was blinded from the light. He simply closed his eyes against it, his song not stopping for an instant.

"He has a knife!" a Kevin cried out.

"And you have a gun, dipshit!" someone else yelled.

"What's that in his other hand?" the same man demanded.

"Did he just light himself on fire?!" someone else demanded as they saw flames beginning to appear in the darkness.

Siren spun and opened his hand, sending the glass bottle careening towards the Kevins, the rag stuffed inside on fire.

"FUCK!" yelled a Kevin as it sailed straight for them. "It's a molotov!"

There was a massive explosion, and Siren fell hard as the force knocked him to the floor. He continued singing as there were agonized screams around him, and he got back up, the heat around him almost unbearable. The darkness and screams were just a memory; none of it was real. Siren knew he didn't need to concern himself with a memory from so long ago, and he walked away from the screaming, spinning with his knife as he did so.

Siren headed for the elevators, and he could see several Kevins standing there in the light of the elevator, simply staring down the dark hallways with horrified looks on their faces.

"Shoot him!" one of the Kevins bellowed.

Siren spun as a hail of gunfire burst around him, and he felt a sharp pain in his chest which he ignored. The smoke from the gunfire filled the entire hall, and without pausing once in his song, Siren leapt out of the darkness and sliced the knife into one of the men's throats. Without hesitation, he spun around, the knife finding another Kevin's neck before he had the chance to respond. There was more gunfire, but Siren was already out of the way, the song in his mind now fast and urgent, like it was calling him to action. Siren dropped to the floor as he drove the knife into a Kevin's kneecap and there was an agonized scream which was quickly silenced.

Faster and faster the song screamed at him, and Siren lashed out again and again, never once pausing in his song. He made his way through the halls, and spun and moved away as he was shot at, the Kevin's movements lazy and predictable. Siren's hands were sticky with blood, and he was struggling to breathe, but still he kept going, unwilling and unable to stop. The song became more and more frantic and Siren moved in tune to the song, slashing and dodging, using all the skills he had long forgotten.

The song was deafening and Siren gasped for air, but was unable to stop himself, fighting and spinning as the Kevins came for him. Siren felt nothing at all, the fog filling his mind until nothing but the song remained. The screams around him were added to the deafening song, and Siren ducked and dodged, never once slowing down.

Siren soon became aware that the only sound that remained was his song, and there were no faceless Kevins left. He was numb, and could feel a deep pain coming from his chest, but he didn't care about that. There was nothing he cared about. The only thing in his world was his song. His song was who he was, and he would die to his song. It was then that he heard a nearby sound. Siren paused, and listened for a moment, wondering if there was still a Kevin that was alive.

He followed the sound through the dark hallways, his knife held tightly as he prepared himself to get rid of another threat. Opening his eyes as he approached the sound, he could see a Kevin clutching a flashlight. The man was staring up at him in tired resignation as Siren the room, his gaze going to the bloody knife. The Kevin was laying on the floor in a pool of blood, and the sound Siren had heard was his ragged breathing.

"...I always kinda figured you'd be the one to kill me," the Kevin commented wryly, "You'd better damn well cure cancer or something after all this, you little shit."

Siren paused in the doorway, a brief moment of confusion making its way through his mind. That voice…

The Kevin raised a hand to his face and wiped the blood aside, never taking his eyes off Siren.

"Well, how are you going to do it?" he asked tiredly, "The knife, I'm assuming? Hopefully you make it fast, because I've never been very good with pain."

Siren took a slow step into the room, his song slowing down to a hesitant and confused tone.

"What are you waiting for?" The Kevin demanded, "I knew I would die eventually, just get it over with."

Siren slowly approached and stared down at the Kevin. He stared at the blond hair, and blue eyes, and then raised the knife for the kill. He stared into those blue eyes, another odd feeling of familiarity flashing through his mind. That voice...those eyes...This Kevin was...no...not Kevin...this was...Terry. This was Terry!

Siren's eyes widened, and he stared at Terry's face, everything coming back to him in an instant. The knife clattered to the floor, and Siren began to shake, unable to take his eyes off the other man, his song cutting off abruptly.

"Siren?" Terry questioned in confusion.

Raising his hands to his face, Siren began to sob hard and he fell to his knees in absolute exhaustion. Terry stared for a moment, and then struggled to sit up, leaning against the wall. Reaching out, he pulled Siren over to him, and Siren latched onto him tightly, unable to stop sobbing. Terry had never once seen Siren stop himself when he was disassociating, and he was confused, but unbelievably relieved.

Siren buried his face into Terry's chest as he cried, seeking comfort that he hadn't experienced in over a decade. Terry looked down at him for a long moment and then hesitantly wrapped his arms around him, having a feeling no words would help him at this time. Terry was feeling incredibly weak, and he knew he was injured badly. He could see the blood on Siren's chest and had the feeling the other man had been shot as well. Terry felt his grip on Siren loosening, and after a few seconds, he lost consciousness. Siren didn't even notice, his own injuries and exhaustion catching up to him. He soon passed out as well, still clinging to Terry tightly.

When Siren awoke, it was to the sight of Vess hovering over him. Glancing around, he saw he was in the medical bay laying on a gurney. Siren groaned and then raised a hand to his head, feeling absolutely awful.

"Oh," Vess commented with disinterest, "You're awake."

"Where the fuck have you been?!" Siren demanded angrily.

Vess glared at him for a moment, and then muttered something under his breath as he reached over to adjust the sedatives.

"Wait!" Siren protested, his voice suddenly tired and weak-sounding.

Vess paused and raised a brow at him in question.

"What happened?" Siren demanded, "Where's Kevin?"

Vess looked like he was debating whether or not to answer, before he heaved a sigh, and then crossed his arms.

"What do you remember?" he demanded.

"All the Kevins tried to kill me, but Kevin saved me. If it wasn't for Kevin, the Kevins would have murdered me, and made it look like an accident. Kevin fought the Kevins and the Kevins shot him and so I killed the kevins to save Kevin."

Vess gave him an annoyed look. "Trying to get information out of you, is like hitting my head against a wall," he commented, "I'm putting you to sleep so I can dig that bullet out of your chest. Luckily for you, it didn't hit anything vital."

"Where's Kevin?" Siren demanded. "Did Kevin die?"

Vess glowered down at him. "Depends which 'Kevin' you're referring to," he responded, "You have no idea the mess you've caused for me."

"Where's my Kevin?" Siren demanded impatiently.

"Over here," Terry's tired voice came from the other side of the curtain.

"I want to see him," Siren ordered, reaching for the curtain. "Let me see him."

Vess slapped Siren's hand away from the curtain, and then reached out to pull it back himself. Terry was laying in the bed beside him, hooked up to several machines, and Siren raked his eyes over the other man, realizing he must have been hurt incredibly badly. There was the sound of a ringing com, and Vess let out another sigh.

"I'll be back in one minute," Vess informed him, "Do not try to move, understood?"

Siren nodded silently, and so Vess removed his com out of his pocket and answered it, stepping away for a bit of privacy.

Siren met Terry's gaze and had no idea what to say.

"You're really bad at your job," Siren finally stated.

Terry raised a brow, looking mildly amused. "Oh?" he questioned.

Siren nodded. "You got yourself shot, and you allowed me to get shot."

"Oh, well I beg your pardon, you little shit, I'll make sure to do a better job next time."

"Are you...going to die?" Siren asked hesitantly.

"Don't worry, you're stuck with me for a while yet," Terry replied.

"...Kevin?"

"My name is Terry. Can't you please use my name?"

"Kevin?"

Terry sighed. "Yes, Siren?"

"I still don't like you...but thank you."

"And I still think you're a spoiled brat, but you're welcome." Terry replied, rolling his eyes.

They fell silent, and Siren averted his gaze.

"Del." Siren said after a few moments of awkward silence.

Terry glanced over. "Hmm?"

"You asked for my name," Siren replied, "My name is Del."

Terry gaped at him for a moment but before he had time to respond, Vess returned and adjusted Siren's sedatives. Siren was asleep within seconds, and Terry watched as Vess wheeled the gurney away towards surgery. Once they were gone, Terry let out a low, pained chuckle.

"What kind of a name is Del?" he mused out loud.

As Terry closed his eyes, he had no idea how he was going to explain this to his wife.

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TBC