So... It's been a while since I posted, and in all honesty, I didn't really have any reason. I suppose the best reason I can give is that I was living life to the fullest and enjoying the summer while it lasted. But, I'm back, and I'm feeling inspired. And with it almost being one year since I posted the first chapter I thought the least I could do was get out one chapter, so here it is

Oh, but first I would like to give thanks to the account-less user who has consistently reviewed every chapter with a little 'Bruh' at the start to say it's him. And I would like to say thank you for your countless support and for inspiring me to finish this chapter

chapter five

The inside of 9th street station looked like every other train station in America, a gaping indoor cavern dotted with the usual suspects-homeless men holding cardboard signs, collections of bleary-eyed college kids sleeping on backpacks, and zoning out to Spotify, and clusters of orange-clad MTA workers smoking cigarettes.

Captain Miller raised his eyes to the enormous arrival board overhead. The black and white tabs were reshuffled, ruffling downward as the information refreshed. When the update was finished, Captain Miller eyed the offerings. The top listing read:

M102-4:20am

Giving his watch another check Captain Miller confirmed it was currently 4:19, one minute till the train arrived. Looking out at the empty railway Captain Miller could hear the sound of metal scraping metal. Eyeing the tunnel he saw the glint of two lights. Realizing it was the M102 train, Captain Miller checked his watch, 4:20. Perfect timing. Mused the captain while smiling to himself.

Soon after the train came to a screeching stop, light sparks flying around the tracks. Captain Miller watched as a group of people came into view as the door eased open. Yanking his Manurhin Mr-93 revolver from his shoulder holster and his badge from his jacket pocket, the Captain gave a loud command.

"NYPD!" Chanted Captain Miller and the officers, making sure the people knew they weren't just some goons with guns.

People's puzzled faces turned upwards to the badges and guns now in the air, quickly they all put their heads back down and scurried away, some shrieking in panic. Putting his badge back in his pocket Captain Miller pushed his way through the wave of exiting pedestrians. Once inside Captain Miller checked the entire train, letting no one-off without a thorough check.

Checking his watch Captain Miller regarded how much time had passed, looking around the train Captain Miller only saw the faces of his exasperated Officers. Then an abrupt crackling brought Captain Miller out of his daze. Pulling his radio out of his belt Captain Miller held it up.

"Captain Miller-Captain Miller-do you read me? Over." Bellowed an officer from the other end.

"Yes. Over." Answered Captain Miller, trying his best to keep his voice calm. He had hoped this call was about Grand Central Station. Captain Miller had assigned a few men to check the cameras in the station, in hopes of finding something they had missed.

"Sir… we found something. Over."'

Captain Miller began to throw his radio in a fit of rage, but he stopped himself. Realizing it wasn't worth breaking his radio, still, he was enraged. The call he had just received had informed him he was duped, fooled, tricked. Gregor and Jack had played him like some in-experienced simpleton. They had gotten off the train and snuck around the back of the station to scurry off like rats.

Taking a calming breath Captain Miller made his way up the subway stairs. Hiding under the little protection the station canopy offered from the rain, Captain Miller felt a buzzing in his pocket. Pulling out his phone he noticed it wasn't buzzing. Cursing under his breath he pulled out his little burner phone, flipping it open, he waited for a command.

"Captain Miller. There is no longer a reason to look for Gregor and Jack. He's coming to us. Go to 13th street. We'll be waiting outside for you." The caller then left as soon as he had come.

Putting his phone back in his pocket Captain Miller placed his foot out beneath the canopy. Cold rain splashed off Captain Miller's shoe, a small bit making its way through the thin material. Now standing fully out from under the canopy, Captain Miller briskly made his way to his car.

Wrapping his hands around the thick leather of his steering wheel and lightly pressing his foot against the gas Captain Miller smiled as he drove to 13th street.

Gregor stared down at his hands, twisting and knotting them as if doing so would help bring him out of the turmoil inside. Despair roamed the room, expelled on the breath of worried people like Gregor and those doing their best to bite down on the pain that brought them here.

Pulling his gaze from his eyes Gregor looked at Jack, he was trying to convince the nurse to let them pass. It seemed like Jack was fine, for now, so Gregor decided to sit back in his thin padded plastic seat. Turning his head Gregor got a good look at Angelina and Larry, both tense, just like in the car.

"I always hated Hospitals," whispered Larry, his eyes darting back and forth nervously.

Gregor had to agree with Larry, he never really liked hospitals. He never really had a good experience, In particular, it was getting needles that bothered him. The idea of purposely sticking a piece of metal into someone's arm always eluded him. Although his fear of needles was a little mitigated by the time he spent in the Underland.

Quickly deciding to not let himself fall privy to the beckoning calls of memories, Gregor let himself relax, the first time since he woke up. But, to Gregor's dismay, relaxing allowed another thought to creep its way into Gregors vision. That of Professor Atkinson's murder.

However he didn't think of the Gunshot wound, his mind was fixated with the four puncture wounds on his chest. They were eerily familiar. Gregor instinctively grabbed his chest. Even with his clothes on he could just barely feel his scars. My scars! Realized Gregor in his mind.

"Those puncture wounds were from a Gnawer." Whispered Gregor under his breath. This meant the Underland had some doing in this, and in some way, he might be involved.

Gregor couldn't help but perk up at that realization, he had already gone down the steps, but now, he was sure he was meant to go there.

"Gregor," Interrupted Jack, swiftly bringing Gregor back out from the depths of his mind.

Dragging his eyes away from the ground Gregor looked up at Jack, his face solemn. "Did you find a way in?" Questioned Gregor, hoping he did.

"No," responded Jack with a huff.

With a slight hitch, Gregor asked another question. "Did you ask if anyone by the name Bellator was here?"

Nodding his head Jack took a seat from across Gregor, leaning forward and making sure to keep his voice low.

"That was the first thing I asked. They said no one had checked in by the name Bellator." This was very disheartening for Gregor, but he was sure they were here, the mystery caller said so.

Giving Jack a look that said, did you try anything else, Jack continued. "I tried seeing if a large group of people had come in here, they said large groups of people come here every minute." This statement did nothing to help Gregor's dismay.

"Even if they are In there, we have no way of searching," continued Jack. "The only way we could get in to look is through that elevator. And only patients are allowed through there. And clearly, none of us look injured."

Turning his head towards the elevator Jack mentioned, Gregor cursed it inside his head. This metal box was now the only thing in his way. 'It wouldn't be too hard,' thought Gregor. 'I could easily run to the elevator and if anyone got in my way I could simply hurt them.'

'Hurt them', Gregor couldn't believe the thought that just ran through his head. He knew where this sudden anger came from, he should have seen it coming, it had been building since this all started. Of course, even thinking that was a lie. This anger has been stewing and waiting for years, waiting for Gregor to give in.

Of course, he wouldn't allow that, not after the incident…

"I think I have an idea," piped up Angelina, a small smirk growing.

"Are you sure this will work?" Wearily questioned Gregor, looking at himself in the bathroom mirror. "I'm not sure if this will fool anyone."

Taking a step back, Angelina admired her handy work. "Well it's gonna have to," responded Angelina. "Unless you have any other ideas."

Gregor quickly remembered the plan he had thought of earlier, the one he refused to do. The one where he would let years of work go to waste. Gregor Contently shook his head.

"Good," concluded Angelina with a half-smile as she applied more water to the Broken lipstick. Causing more red to drip down Gregors arm, or as she put it, 'very real looking blood.'

"Do you think this will fool anyone?" Questioned Gregor while looking at Jack. "I've seen my fair share of blood, but you think this will fool the nurse. You were the only one who talked to her."

Pushing off the wall he had been leaning against, Jack began to pace around Gregor, examining his 'wound.' "In all honesty Gregor I can't say I'm certain that this will work," answered Jack, his words doing little to comfort the room. Noticing this Jack continued. "I mean, Angelina, you did an amazing job, especially with what limited supplies you had. But… all I can say is that we have to try."

Once again Jack's words did little to help convince Gregor of this plan, although his last statement did rouse a sense of hope in Gregor.

"Let's do this."

Well, there's the chapter, the ending is a bit meh, but I really enjoyed writing the first half of the chapter and I hope you guys enjoyed it too. That said the next chapter I hope to have out within the next month. And I know, you must be thinking, "wow, that's really fast considering it took him 4 months to post this." And, it is fast, probably the fastest I ever will, but with the new shorter chapters you should expect to see a new one every 2 weeks or month.

Run like the river-StoryThieves