Scared was not an emotion that Jo felt often. But staring into the eyes of the rat standing before her - the racing in her heart could not be confused for anything else.

She couldn't move. She didn't dare to. It was as if she were frozen in her place on the floor, the wall against her back keeping her grounded.

Time was bound to run out, though. This creature didn't seem like the type to wait forever, which meant any second it could lunge at her.

Swallowing, Jo slowly moved her hands as she continued their eye contact. She was still aware of the other rat that had joined them, but she couldn't bring herself to shift her gaze between the two of them. Her hands moved around her lower back, straining to reach the item that was held within the straps. All she could feel was the smooth edges of the end of her sword. There was no way she could pull retrieve it from this side.

Think, Jo.

She knew she couldn't reach her arms over her head without alarming the rats. If they were to move in on her then she didn't know if she could trust her herself enough not to fumble and fail to pull her weapon out.

She had really done it this time.

Trying to plan her next move, she let out a slow breath, but it had been louder than she had intended - wisping harshly from her through her lips.

And that's when the rats could not wait any longer.

Their pitch-black eyes widened as their muscles seemed to awaken, gripping their pipes tightly. Jo was sure her expression was filled with complete panic as they both jumped forward, swinging their pipes downward simultaneously. However, she managed to push her body into motion, tuck and rolling off to her left in order to escape their advances.

As she landed out of the way of their blows, her hands finally reached towards her upper back and slid out the emerald sword that had been waiting. It was heavier than she remembered as she held its full weight in her hands. Her grip moved to find the handle as she stood, bending her knees as she faced the rats again.

Was she really going to try and fight these things?

Just then, one rat came forward, swinging its pipe to Jo's right as she stepped to dodge it.

Apparently she was.

Clenching her teeth, Jo swung her own arms forward as she brought the sword right down on one of the rats. The blade caught its arm, slashing a cut across its fur that instantly bled. The sight of the blood made her gasp as the blade nearly slipped from her fingers. However, the other rat running at her quickly made her hands tense again.

When the rat brought its pipe towards her, she blocked it with her sword before kicking the rat in the stomach, sending it into the cave wall. The impact was enough to knock the creature out, causing it to fall to the floor in a slump.

One down.

Shifting her weight, Jo turned to the remaining rat, watching as it began to snarl at her.

"Cute," she taunted it, not able to help herself.

Her voice had obviously displeased the rat as it advanced on her once again, its sword swaying side to side multiple times as it tried to hit her. Jo kept backing away from the attempted blows, but quickly ran out of room as she felt her back bump into the other side of the cave. She needed to dodge again, but she was too slow as the metal pipe came into contact with her rib cage.

The blow made Jo gasp again, but this time it was due to having all of the air knocked out of her. Her hand moved to grasp her side, trying to soothe the ache in her bones and lungs.

As the rat noticed her pain, it screeched at her as if laughing… mocking. The sound made Jo's blood begin to boil as she felt as though she was beginning to see red.

"It's not polite to laugh," she spoke through her teeth. But the rat did not stop, only making the noise again. It was so proud of itself and keen on taunting her that it didn't anticipate her next movement.

In a flash, Jo raised her sword and brought it downward with all her might. However, the blade wasn't what slashed through the rat's fur this time, but instead, she had led with the handle of the sword in order to slam it against the top of its head.

A loud thud resonated from the impact before the rat's eyes rolled backward. It collapsed on the floor, landing on top of its friend that was still snoozing away.

Jo stood there, her lips parted and body shaking as she stared at her two victims. She felt sweat over her forehead and upper lip, causing her to swipe at both areas with the heel of her hand.

Holy crap.

She couldn't feel any part of her body aside from the pain stabbing into her ribcage, causing her to question whether she would be able to take a step without falling to the floor with the rats. But she needed to get out of there before more unwanted guests found her.

Looking back the way that she had come, Jo walked on wobbly legs as she headed back up the trail. She had figured she could do it. She could find her way back out of the cave. Really, she just had to - because going further into the cave was only going to lead to a worse fate.

Trudging up the path a few feet, Jo felt her heart drop into the deepest part of her stomach as she noticed something that had definitely not been there before.

"No."

She rushed forward, her sword falling from her hands.

"No, no, no."

She was then stopped, grasping the bars of what was now blocking her path.

A metal gate. She didn't know how or when, but at some point during her battle with the rats the gate had come down and locked her inside. There was no way of going back out the way that she had come in.

The only way she could go was down. Deeper into the mine.

Jo let out a sob, resting her forehead against the bars as she continued to grip the metal in her hands.

"No, no, no," she said again, her voice bubbling out as her eyes were closed tight.

How could this be? How could she have been so stupid?

Arlo was right.

She began to unscrew her features as she shook her head slowly, rolling her forehead against the bars. She let out deep breaths, her nose running as wet tears remained down her face.

Why hadn't she listened? Why did she have to let her temper get the best of her and not listen to Arlo?

"You're purposely putting yourself in danger."

She had only been trying to help.

But now she couldn't even help herself.

As if on cue, she could hear a screech from behind her. It was deeper within the cave, but Jo knew that it was inevitably something that she had to face.

You can't stay like this, Jo. If you just stand here then they're bound to find you and overpower you. You need to move.

With one last shaky breath leaving her, Jo pushed herself away from the bars before slowly turning around. Her sword laid on the floor, waiting for her exactly where she had left it. She moved forward, grabbing the handle as she lifted the weapon upright in front of her. Her arms were no longer shaking as she caught her reflection in the blade.

You did this, so how are you going to fix it?

Just like that day with the snailbobs, apparently this was the option she was going with. It was really her only option.

She needed to find them before they found her.

Keeping the sword at the ready, Jo stepped quietly down the pathway as she eased herself further into the cave. She was silent, but so was everything else - which definitely didn't help settle her nerves. Due to the fact that she had only heard screeching moments ago, she knew there was no way that she wasn't in there alone.

"I know you're here, you mangy things," she whispered to herself.

Still continuing her path, Jo found nothing as she went down each narrow trail. Every time she rounded a corner, her biceps tensed as she prepared herself to strike. However, she never found a reason to as she came across nothing on the other side.

To some, the absence of her enemies may have seemed like a positive, but she knew it wasn't. She could feel that something was wrong from the tip of her head down to the ends of her toes. The silence was too eerie not to make her feel any different.

Her body growing exhausted from keeping her guard so high, Jo could feel the temperature growing colder in the cave as she went down further. The whole scene was becoming more threatening by the second, but she tried to keep her head up no matter the circumstances. Perhaps that was foolish, but she needed something to hold onto.

And then she heard a sound.

She was nearing a passageway and she could hear a scuffle followed by a small snickering. If it hadn't been so quiet throughout the entire cave than she may not have heard her, but she had.

Then she could see through the passage, making out a large room that had items cluttered on every side as if someone were hoarding away treasure for their keeping.

What is this?

She slowed her pace further, but now she really was faced with the inevitable. For, on the other side of the room, was a doorway - one that was a clear exit out of this place. Only, the door was not as accessible as one, especially her, might have hoped. Between her and the door, were about three rats standing together, appearing as though they had been waiting for her.

And they had. Or she was sure that they had been as they wouldn't have resorted to such stillness otherwise.

Now her drawn out movements seemed pointless, causing her to move her legs swiftly into the room in order to take her place. She needed to show them that she wasn't afraid or else they would eat her alive. Probably literally…

"Looking for me?" she asked, not even sure if they could understand her.

Three of them and one of me. You took out two earlier, Jo. You can handle one more.

As soon as the thought passed through her mind, there was movement heard from behind her, causing her to glance over her shoulder.

Three more had appeared.

Okay.

She turned forward to the first three again.

Six of them and one of me. Still feeling confident here?

The rats hissed at her, causing Jo to prep the sword in her hands as she once again bent her knees.

She definitely wasn't feeling confident, but she also wasn't willing to give in.

It was true. She didn't belong there. She was in danger.

She was only a builder.

Well, really, she was the daughter of a builder. Only attempting to step into his shoes.

But she had also been something else her entire life. Something of her own, not just something she had been trying to be.

A fighter.

Arriving outside of the Haunted Cave, Arlo barely stopped his horse before he was sliding off to the ground.

"Arlo, wait!" Sam called out as they were still feet behind him. However, he barely heard her words as he eased into the entrance of the cave, pausing momentarily in order to listen.

It was quiet - very unsettling.

And one thought crossed his mind for the briefest of moments.

What if she wasn't in there? What if the instructions and battery "missing" were actually not indicators that she had entered the cave alone? Perhaps they were just placed elsewhere for the Corps to gather and Jo was safe and sound at the Round Table or roaming the Tree Farm.

But did that really sound like Jo?

There was an easy way to figure that out. Arlo stepped fully through the entrance of the cave, immediately noticing that the walls were lit and there was a humming sound off to his right. He glanced over to see the very battery, that he had watched Jo assembling that afternoon, neatly connected to the now roaring generator.

She's been here, all right. But is she still here?

"Any sign of her?" Sam asked as she appeared behind Arlo.

He shook his head.

"That could be a good sign," Rem stated. "She could have restored the generator and just left."

"Let's hope that's the case," Arlo said, his voice low.

The three walked forward, looking left and right in order to find any clues as to whether Jo had left already. There was one clear path that led further into the cave, and Arlo was praying that she hadn't used it.

"There's something over here," Rem said as he stood in the passageway. "Looks like a few objects."

"Jo's?" Arlo asked, taking quick steps as he crossed the room.

Rem shook his head. "Looks like some of the missing items." He held both up for Arlo to see.

"Emily's bucket and Martha's pot," Sam confirmed.

Damn.

"We knew it!" Sam said. "All the other stuff has to be in here too." She gestured down the path, her feet dancing as she was ready to explore further.

"I'm not concerned about everyone's missing things," Arlo said, turning to look at the girl. "We need to find Jo ."

Sam pressed her lips tightly together, but nodded at him. Rem followed by simply sliding the two found items into the pack on his back, keeping them out of sight.

"Do we split up then?" Sam asked. "Someone goes to look for her back at the workshop and the other two go down the cave?"

Arlo shook his head. "No. We stay together. If she's back at the workshop then at least she's safe. If she's in here… alone… with God knows what - then we need the full backup."

Rem nodded. "Gotta clear it out someway. Whether she's here or not… let's just hope she's not."

Yes… let's.

Knowing that standing around simply talking wasn't helping them, Arlo didn't say another word as he led the way down the path. The only sound heard was the crunch of their feet on the dirt floor - which, once again, made Arlo feel uneasy.

Why was it so quiet in there? Even when they had peaked their heads in when the cave had been dark, they could still hear unidentifiable sounds coming from near and far. But now there was nothing.

He had been in his line of work for enough time to know that silence was not a good sign. Sam and Rem were likely in the same mindset.

Going further, Arlo kept his senses bright as he looked all around. Whether he was looking for any creatures to jump in on them or even just small indicators that Jo had passed through - he didn't want to miss a thing.

"Maybe we were wrong," Sam said after a few minutes. "Maybe she's not in here. Maybe there's nothing in here."

"We won't know until we reach the end," Rem stated. "Then, at least, we can unlock the other entry way by Xu's Clinic."

There had to be something in there. Arlo believed there was with every fiber of his being.

As they went further, they began to find areas where the path split. However, each time they explored multiple routes, they found various dead ends and caverns. In the end, there was only one trail that actually led further into the cave - the rest were all duds.

It was odd. All of the creatures that Arlo had ever met loved to linger in any smaller nooks or crannies they could find. It gave the best chance of coverage before they could lunge out at their enemies.

But this was different. There was nothing. Not just here or there… but anywhere.

"I don't like this," Arlo finally spoke, nearly through his teeth. "There had to be something in here, and I refuse to believe that it was all chased out with just light."

"Maybe they found another place within the cave to hide in… all together," Sam offered.

Yeah. That was exactly what Arlo was afraid of.

All he could picture was Jo… laying on the ground somewhere, knocked unconscious. But then that always opened a door for more possibilities to fill his head. Ones that were much worse.

His feet moved faster, threatening to take off in a jog. Inside of his chest and stomach was a bubbling pot of mixed emotions that he didn't know how to stabilize. He didn't know if that would be possible until he saw her. Or until he guaranteed her safety.

"What's that?" Sam asked, tearing Arlo from his jumbled thoughts.

Looking ahead, the team could see another doorway at the end of their path. What laid at the end of it, though, made Arlo's face burn - his body nearly shook with rage.

"Fuck," Arlo swore, his voice echoing of the walls. His fingers wrapped around the metal of the gate that laid before them before he began to harshly shake the structure in his hands. It wobbled only slightly, obviously not going to let up - not that he really expected it to. His chest was on fire, heaving as he laid his forehead against the gate, offering a few more swears under his breath. He could feel both sets of eyes from his team members focused on him.

"Is there a switch?" Sam asked, her eyes shifting to look around the edges of the door.

"If there is, I'm sure it's on the other side of the gate," Rem said. He was now standing at Arlo's side, slipping a hand over the bars as he stared at the Captain.

Images had started flashing through Arlo's head again, making it heavy as he raised it from the bars and let out an audible sigh. He would have liked to stay there with his forehead of the cool metal, but he knew the clock was still ticking and his team was waiting on him for guidance.

"Sam, do you have your hammer? We could wedge it under the door and try to lift it. Even if we can manage a little space, then we can at least crawl underneath."

Arlo looked to her, his features expectant as he recalled how the tactic had worked for them before.

But Sam shook her head. "Afraid not. I only brought my boxing gloves."

Damn.

He shifted his attention to his other team member. "Rem?"

The man also shook his head. "Only the gloves for me as well."

Arlo wanted to slam his head against the bars at his own dumb decisions. Of course neither of them had brought any hammers or swords - he was the one who had told them to pack light.

Now what was there? They could go grab the materials and come back, but then there was the fact that pushing the gate up may not even work. This metal felt heavier, more sturdy than what they had worked with last time.

They could run to Merlin and ask her to give them something to cut through the bars. But what if she didn't have anything on hand? Usually things like that had to be researched, written into diagrams, and then built…. And the builder they needed could be locked away in that very cave. Higgins was too slow of a builder to give them any sort of product within the day.

It all came down to time. They had none to spare already. Maybe even less than none.

"Can we mess with the mechanics?" Sam asked. She then looked up at the gears at the top of the gate. "If I can get up and fiddle with some things, then maybe we can open it."

"That's too much of a risk," Rem said. "We don't know how the system works. What if it's linked and makes more gates drop?"

Arlo sighed again. "I agree with Rem. It's a valid thought, but we could be doing more harm than good."

Sam let out an exasperated grunt, her hands lifting into the air. "Then what!? We have nothing! What can we do?"

Arlo wanted to help her calm down, but he also knew that he shared her same frustration. They were all in a similar boat. Their friend could be trapped on the other side of that gate and they were completely helpless. Normally they could anticipate anything, but this had been extremely unpredictable.

Just how Arlo had warned Jo these missions could be.

His brow furrowed as he recalled the conversation, but his expression quickly shifted to panic as they finally heard a noise from somewhere within the gate.

It was a blood curdling screech, resonating deep within Arlo's bones as his mouth fell open.

"Bandirats," he stated.

"Oh no…" Sam whispered.

All three sets of eyes were focused passed the gates, but there was nothing to see. Only the dirt path that ran a few feet forward before veering right, skewing any sightlines.

Then the sound happened again.

And before Arlo could think better of it, he was calling out.

"Jo!" his voice rang down the narrow walls. "Jooooooo!"

Silence.

Then more screeching.

"Joooooo!" he tried again, his throat already growing sore. He didn't think he had ever yelled that loud in his entire life.

"Jo!" Sam suddenly chimed in. "Jo, are you there?"

And then Rem. "Jo! It's the Corps."

Even more screeching was heard, but Arlo could make out one more noise as they listened - the swing of a blade.

It caused him to call out once more, somehow louder than even before.

"Jooooooo!"

Then the blade quieted.

The Corps were silent, as if they were all holding a unified breath.

But then came the sound of something that sent a shock of relief through Arlo's skin and also made him want to thrash at the gate until it gave in.

"Arlo?"

It was her.

There was no mistaking it.

"We're here, Jo!" Sam called out before he could.

"Sam!" Jo called back. "I'm all the way down here. But there's a gate!"

"That's where we are," Sam shouted. "We're stuck behind the gate. Can you see some way to open it?"

Couple seconds of silence passed, which only made Arlo want to yell out again. He wanted her to keep talking, to know she was okay.

"I don't see anything," Jo said. "They have to be -"

She was cut off before they heard her grunt, the sound of her blade cutting through the air reaching their ears.

She had to be fighting them. The bandirats.

They were wasting time. Arlo needed to be down there helping her… defending her. Or - they all needed to be. Not just him.

"How many are down there with you?" Rem asked, shifting from one foot to the other.

More swinging occurred, but it then silenced before Jo was able to talk again.

"Five," Jo said, sounding more out of breath. "I got one down, but the others are still up. They're like giant rats!"

"They're bandirats!" Sam called out.

However, Jo likely didn't care what they were called right then. She probably just wanted them as far away from her as she could manage.

Especially as a sudden shriek from Jo filled the Corps' ears, making each of their spines stand straight up.

"We're coming, Jo!" Arlo yelled before he was turning away from the gate and running back the direction they had come. His entire body was jumping into movement before he really had a chance to think.

But he needed to go. Even though there was another part of him that didn't fully want to.

He didn't want to leave the space by the gate. Not when he could hear her and know she was still responsive. However, it wasn't enough. They needed to get to her, and there was only one way they could possibly make that happen.

"Where are we going?" Sam asked, the other two Corps now running behind Arlo.

"The other entrance," he barked out. He continued to run forward, his sights set on only one thing.

"We're breaking down that damn door."

Jo had managed to get it down to five. However, that was more to pure luck than anything. With all of the movement, one of the rats had received an incidental elbow to the gut as it creeped in from Jo's side. After having the air knocked out of it, another rat had delivered an accidental elbow to the injured rat's head, knocking him out and sending him down. Jo was thankful to the fates working in her favor for the first time that day.

But now she was still one girl facing five rats. Ones that looked as though they lived for violence as they smiled each time they took a swing at her.

Masochists.

Jo continued to swing her sword around the space, knowing there was no science to her movements as she tried to keep the rats at a distance. She was trying not to allow her agitation to show on her face, not wanting them to know that she had no clue what she was doing. Hopefully they would think that her actions were just to mess with them and not because of her inexperience.

Another rat sprang forward, wildly swinging its pipe towards Jo as she backed out of the way. Once it realized that wasn't effective, it raised it up into the air, prepared to bring the pipe down on Jo's head as she had done to the other rat earlier. But Jo registered his movement and she was able to lift her blade up horizontally to stop the pipe from hitting her.

When the pipe collided with her sword, she pushed the rat back so it fell to the floor a few feet away. Unfortunately though, it was not enough to do any sort of damage to the creature.

The rats scrambled back together, scowling at her with their teeth bared as Jo let out a huff. It looked like her plan was holding up for now, but who knew how long it could last. How long would the clock run until the rats realized that if they worked together that they could overpower her in an instant? They weren't really working with strategies now, only blindly attacking her for the hopes of drawing blood. But would they be capable of creating those plans eventually?

Readying herself again, Jo's movements were hindered as she began to hear something off in the distance.

Was someone calling her name?

How was that possible..? Did she get knocked out without realizing it and was now stuck in some sort of dream?

No, no. That couldn't be possible.

"Jo! Are you in there?"

The voice sounded familiar.

"Jo! It's the Corps."

And so did that one.

The rats had now stopped moving too, looking back up the pathway. Jo was glad they did too. At least it validated that the voices were real and she hadn't lost her mind.

Wait… the Corps!? They were there?

And then she heard one final voice.

"Jooooooo!"

Her lips parted as she stared upward as if she would be able to see him.

"Arlo?" she called out, her voice echoing throughout the room. She hoped it would reach him.

But it was Sam who replied. And thankfully kept replying as the rats were at least kind enough to let them finish the majority of their conversation. That is, until one became impatient and jumped forward at her. Luckily, Jo hadn't taken her focus completely off of the rat and was ready to dodge the blow. What she wasn't ready for, though, was for another rat to attack moments later.

As she finished another sentence to Sam, the new rat leaped right to her and swung its pipe to catch Jo right in her knee, causing her to yelp in pain. The noise was louder than she intended, making her bend over, bracing a hand on the floor to guarantee she wouldn't go fully down. However, the movement made the pain in her knee heighten as the injury in her ribs awoke again.

"We're coming, Jo!"

She heard the voice, knowing that this belonged to Arlo.

And she wanted to call back out to him.

She wanted to tell him that she was sorry. None of them would be in this mess if it weren't for her. There was no argument against that.

Choosing not to pity herself for too long, Jo grunted as she pushed herself up again. The moment she was back on her two feet, a rat was coming towards her with its claws thrashing this time.

"Whoa!" Jo called out, stepping out of the way. Her knee wobbled, but she was able to sidestep enough for her so she could turn and land a blow to the rat's side with the handle of her sword.

The rat screamed in pain, falling to the floor in a twitch as it tried to grasp its side. It wasn't knocked out, but its lowered state gave Jo the chance to give it a kick in the same place it was injured, increasing her chances of it not getting up.

As she focused on this rat, it gave another one the opportunity to kick out her ankle, sending her down as pain radiated throughout her entire leg now.

I think they're getting smarter.

She looked up in time to see the rat bringing the pipe straight down towards her head. Thankfully, she had enough sense, and mobility, to roll out of the way. This caused the rat to stab the pipe straight into the floor and get its weapon wedged into the clumped dirt. It squealed as it desperately tried to pull the item out, but was having no success.

Clenching her teeth, Jo worked against her injuries in order to wave her sword towards the rat and slash through its upper thigh. The second the blood appeared, Jo's hard features softened, her eyes wide as she stared at the cut and the rat's sad features.

They're trying to kill you, Jo.

The words didn't help as she stared at the rat, wanting to rip off a piece of her shirt in order to wrap its wound. But for what? For it to just turn right back around and try to hurt her again? Who was she kidding?

However, staring at the rat for such an extended period of time did help her in one way. As she studied it's response, she also noticed its outward characteristics.

One of those being something that sat on a chain around its neck.

A key.

Jo looked to the other rats, but found exactly what she expected. Nothing. The rat in front of her was the only one wearing it, which meant the key was important.

And she figured she could safely confirm what the key was used for. It had to be to the door sitting only twenty feet from her that led to her freedom. That could save her.

She needed to get that key.

Arlo would need to give his horse a break for at least a week after how hard he was pushing the mare that day. The other Corps didn't even stand a chance of keeping up as Arlo pressed for his horse to bolt through the fields towards their destination.

But they needed to get to Jo. As soon as possible. Though they had managed to hear from her only moments ago, Arlo knew how quickly things could go south. He didn't want to waste any more time.

Reaching the top of the hill near the clinic, Arlo jumped off of his horse as he had done before. He then went to the door, placing his hands against the wood as if trying to feel the vibrations of sound within.

"God, Arlo," Sam said, slowing her horse before climbing down. "Really pushing it to the limits."

Arlo let the comment bounce off of him as he turned to his team.

"Sam, go grab your hammer," he ordered. He knew hers was just inside with all of her other tools, meaning it would also be the quickest to grab. "Rem, come over here and help me to start with this lock."

"On it!" Sam called out, running back towards their headquarters.

Arlo and Rem then kneeled down to the handle of the door, gazing at the lock before Arlo reached into his waistpack to grab a snail urchin spike. He shoved it into the lock and began to jiggle it around to trigger something inside.

"You okay, boss?" Rem said, his voice low for only Arlo to hear.

The question wasn't what had caught Arlo off guard, but rather, it was the tone of Rem's voice.

Arlo furrowed a brow, shaking his head as he continued his work.

"Fine, Rem. Why do you ask?"

They had been on dozens of missions together of all different severity and not once had Rem ever asked him something like that. What was he playing at?

"I couldn't help but notice that you seem a little… frazzled by this case," Rem stated.

Arlo nearly dropped the spike, starting to add up what Rem was implying. However, he managed to keep his tool steady as he continued his work.

What could he say? Arlo had been running on pure impulse this entire time and hadn't even really thought about his actions and behaviors. Perhaps he had been frazzled… but it had gone unnoticed by him until then.

So when he broke it down… why was he acting this way?

Among a few answers that flashed through his head, Arlo only fully trusted one of them - knowing that it was true.

"I feel slightly responsible, I suppose," he told his mate. "Perhaps if I hadn't been so hard on her then she would have been more… compliant."

Arlo could see Rem shaking his head. "Don't do that to yourself. You ordered her not to go, but she still went. You both are iron-willed… something to look out for in the future."

Arlo nodded, a breath leaving him that was barely a laugh.

"But that persistence also means that she's going to be okay. Between you rushing to get her out and her fighting for her life in there - it's all going to work out," Rem stated, his confidence solid in his words.

I really hope that's true.

Before Arlo could say anything else, both men could hear swift steps approaching them.

"Got it!" Sam yelled as she appeared. Rem and Arlo stood from their spot by the door, Arlo tossing the spike to the side as it was proving to be useless.

"Right. Time to go all in," Arlo said, taking the hammer from Sam.

This could either be incredibly easy - the door giving within seconds - or very difficult if the door didn't barge for even a hundred blows. Arlo was trying to mentally prepare himself for either outcome.

He bounced the handle of the hammer in his hands, readying himself for the first swing. Time for the moment of truth.

We're coming, Jo.

The key.

She needed to get that key even if she had to rip it from his neck. She only hoped that she would be capable of that due to the exhausted muscles of her arms. Holding up her sword was becoming difficult as she was beginning to run out of stamina, wishing she could ask the rats for a five minute break to recuperate a bit.

Wouldn't that be something?

That option was obviously comical as Jo still sat in the cave with rats who would love nothing more than to tear her apart then and there. Her existence was enough to make them seize with anger, but now she had also hurt a few of their crew. That certainly didn't sit well with any of them.

But Jo didn't care how much they hated her guts. If anything, the feeling was mutual, but she wasn't going to let her anger get the best of her. Not now. Not when she was currently facing the repercussions of reacting from her temper concerning Arlo bossing her around that afternoon.

Oh, if only she could go back and lecture that version of herself.

Not holding onto that mental image, Jo became fixated on the key around the rat's neck once again. Exhausted or not, she needed to get her hands on it.

Using her sword for leverage, Jo lifted herself from the ground. Her leg twitched in irritation, but she forced her mind to focus elsewhere. She could work through the pain. She had done it before - she could do it again.

Though she hadn't anticipated it, Jo was still ready for one of the remaining rat's advances as it shot forward and tried to grasp onto her. She met the attack by placing her hands on the rat's shoulders and using all the force she had to shove it away from her and land in a pile of boxes a few feet away.

Then another came to her, landing a blow of a pipe to her bicep. However, Jo refused to call out in pain this time and, instead, sucked in a sharp breath to express her discomfort.

Now her temper kicked in, without any of her control, as she swung around to drive an elbow into the rat's head. The impact made it stagger backward in a daze as it bumped into one of its buddies.

And then the rat with the key was approaching her, making terrible hissing noises as it tried to overtake her without its weapon - as it was still wedged in the ground. As it got close to her, Jo remained focused on the key around its neck, attempting to reach for it as the creature and her danced around each other. However, they were a cluster of swings, lazy blows, and small dodges as they both tried to reach their own end goal.

Jo's frustration grew by the second, groaning to herself as she kept up her efforts.

Something had to give.

Deflecting another punch, Jo tried to reach for the chain again, only falling short as the rat leaned away from her grasp.

Come on.

Wondering how much longer they could keep this up, they both found a break in their actions as a loud thud rumbled through the cave. It sounded like thunder vibrating through every wall, causing Jo to look around as if searching for a sign of lightning.

And she found it. The sound was coming from the door. Someone had to be on the other side, trying to force their way in through the thick wood. The door wiggled at each impact of whatever was hitting it, but didn't seem like it was exactly giving way just yet. Still, at least she knew someone was there. Someone was trying.

And the noise also helped her catch the rat off guard.

As the rat still looked towards the door, Jo pulled an arm back and sent a fist forward with all of her might. Her rib cage screamed from the movement, hindering the blow a little - but it was still enough. The rat took the punch to the side of the head and stumbled to the side. As it tried to recover, Jo swiftly reached forward, pulled the chain from its neck, and then began to back up towards the shaking door.

Almost there. You've got this.

Jo was a few feet from freedom when she felt her legs get swept out from under her. The culprit to her fall being the tail the rat had swung at her like a controlled whip.

She grunted, thankful that she had managed to clench the key in her hand as she went down. The last thing she needed was to accidentally toss the key through the cave and lose complete track of it amongst the dirt and clutter.

Well, you almost had it.

Shifting her head to look at the rat, Jo then rolled onto her back so she could keep her eyes on the rat's movements. She turned just in time to see the rat walking forward, nearly foaming at the mouth as it stared down at her.

You have the key. You just need to get to the door.

But how? She needed a way to distract the rat. The impact of whatever was hitting the door from the other side was no longer of any concern to the creature, which meant she needed something else.

Looking around, Jo found nothing. There were only the other rats that had fallen unconscious or were too worried about their own injuries to care to fight anymore. To that, Jo was thankful.

But there was still the one rat before her that didn't care about its wound. It only cared about finishing this spar on its own terms.

Speaking of its own terms, still unable to access any further diversion, Jo's eyes snapped back to the rat as it threw itself into the air. It was flying forward, sure to land on top of her with its teeth and claws ready to dig in.

Gasping, Jo's hands acted faster than her mind, grabbing an object and placing it in front of her.

Then came the noise. The scream of the rat as it landed directly on top of her sword instead, the blade sliding clean through it like a skewer. Tears began to form on the edge of Jo's eyes as she looked up at the creature - seeing the way it's features went from pained to completely lifeless.

Her hands shaking, she was able to push the sword and the rat to the left of her before either had the option to fall down on her. She then sat up, feeling some stomach bile creep up her throat, but never make it fully out of her mouth as she scooted away.

The cave was silent again, the only sound soon reaching her ears was her own breathing as she looked at the rat in continued horror.

She had done it. She had…. Killed it.

Blinking, a tear streamed down her face as she stared at the half open eyes, the limp limbs, the blood.

Why did she feel like this? How could she when she knew that the alternative would have resulted in her being left in that state?

Trying to still her trembling lip, Jo forced herself to stand as her eyes stayed on the rat. Her sword still remained through it, but she couldn't bring herself to retrieve it. She knew it was a gift… but she would explain what happened to Django. She would get him to understand.

Tearing her eyes away, Jo wiped at her cheek as she didn't dare to look at the other rats around her. Whether they were watching her or not, she didn't think she could handle their reactions. Meaning the reactions of the creatures who had been trying to kill her only moments before.

Get out of here. Just get out.

Jo tried to walk on her leg, but nearly went down within the first step. Quickly adjusting, she refused to have to crawl or drag herself to the door, so she decided to hop in the desired direction on her good leg. It seemed to be effective as she closed the space between herself and the exit, bracing herself against the sturdy wood as she reached it.

The moment her palms slammed against the wood, Jo also realized that the hammering had stopped around the same time she had killed the rat.

What if the Corps on the other side had heard the death cry? What if they had thought it was her?

Adjusting the key in her hand, Jo fumbled a little before she was able to slip the metal piece into the lock. It didn't fit at first, causing her heart to hammer into her chest as she worried she had been mistaken. Maybe the key was for something else. Maybe even for the gate back up the path, which Jo knew she would never be able to make it to on her injured leg.

But then the key finally slid into the lock, causing it to click as she began to turn it. And then she was twisting the handle, pushing the door open.

She was out.

Every muscle in Arlo's arms and shoulders was screaming in a form of agony. He had found a rhythm to his hammering, but that didn't mean it came with any sort of ease. Due to the weight of the object along with the accelerated rate that he was landing the blows, it was having a negative effect on his own wellbeing. Plus, the blows were having no effect on the door.

It rattled underneath each collision, but showed no signs of actually busting open. The hinges held, the rock around the door didn't ease up. But despite how unpromising it all seemed, Arlo wasn't willing to give up.

He gritted his teeth, continuing his actions even as he heard more people gathering around the scene.

"What's going on here?" he heard someone ask from behind him. He could identify the voice as Xu's.

Great. Just what he needed.

"We're trying to break in," Sam told him.

"I can see that. But for what?" Xu continued. "It's quite late."

Arlo's shoulders only ached more as he tried to ease the urge not to spin around and yell at the man. They knew it was late. Anyone could see that. However, the fact that it was late and they were still here obviously meant it was an emergency. Shouldn't a doctor understand that?

"Jo is inside," Sam stated, her voice growing tender.

"The other entrance was blocked. Our only option is to break down this door," Rem informed him.

"Jo is in there?" Phyllis said, almost as a gasp.

"How could you let this happen?" Xu asked, his tone growing defensive.

You have got to be kidding me.

Thankfully, Rem jumped in before he could.

"Whoa there - slow down. Don't go pointing fingers about something you know nothing about," he said.

The only response from Xu was a single huff.

"Is there anything we can do?" Phyllis' asked.

"No," Sam told her. "We just have to wait for the door to give…"

The way her sentence fell off slightly voiced what was going through all of the Corps' head now. They didn't know if the door would ever give.

What did give, though, was the hammer in Arlo's hands.

To his complete surprise, the hammer suddenly snapped. He watched as the head fell off of the handle, sending it to the floor with a loud clammer.

Bloody hell.

Throwing the handle off to the side, Arlo spun around and was ready to head back to the headquarters again. He couldn't even register those around him as he needed to go get another hammer as soon as possible.

"Arlo, slow down," Rem said, placing a hand on the man's arm.

"We need another hammer," he insisted, shooting Rem a look.

"So, I'll go get it," Rem told him. "Relax. Take a break. I'll be back."

But even as the man took off back to the Corps' building, Arlo felt his agitation only grow. At least if he had gone to get the hammer then he could have kept himself busy somehow and not had to stand around with his pestering thoughts. Not to mention the few people who stood around them now, making him edgy.

Between Xu's brooding looks and Carol quietly crying at the scene, Arlo wanted to tear his hair out.

Noticing his state, Sam and Phyllis approached him as they offered a few words of reassurance.

"We're almost in, Arlo," Sam said. "It's bound to give any second."

Arlo shook his head at this, tensing his jaw as he looked off in another direction.

"You're doing great," Phyllis said, placing a hand on his shoulder. She then slid it up to find the back of his neck, ruffling through the ends of his hair. "We all know everything is going to be okay on your watch."

Why did either of them think he needed to hear this right now? They had a job to be done and he was the Captain leading the entire thing. He didn't need words to put him at ease - he just needed to end this mission successfully.

He stepped away from Phyllis' hand, but soon felt it right back on him. She placed it on his forearm, her thumb rubbing against his jacket.

What was going on?

"I need to go and inspect the door," Arlo said, needing distance. He began to turn back to the door, his ears perking up as a scream was heard from the other side.

"Jo!" Sam called out.

Simultaneously, Sam and Arlo sprinted over to the door, pressing their ears against the wood as they listened for anything else on the other side.

They both faced one another, holding each other's gaze as they tried to make out any noise. However, the only thing that they could hear was the sound of sniffling as Phyllis had begun to cry.

Where the hell was Rem with that hammer?

Arlo could feel his pulse from every section of his body as they remained silent. The same feeling of helplessness overtook him as he waited, feeling the urge to yell out in frustration.

She had to be okay. She had to be. What would he do if she wasn't?

He couldn't even answer that question. He didn't know how.

Pulling him out of his thoughts, Arlo was able to focus on Sam in front him again - noticing how she was staring at him. She was searching his expression, her features tense before she smoothed them to show her own worry. But there was also sympathy.

Arlo could hear a door open in the distance followed by harsh feet pressing into the ground. He was sure it was Rem making his way back to them with the hammer. Or so he was hoping.

Sam pulled her ear away from the door as she turned her head to look towards the noise. Arlo began to open his mouth to ask if she could see Rem when he felt pressure coming from the other side of the door. The shift caused Sam to immediately turn back, her eyes wide as she stared at him.

Then they both could hear the sound of metal scrapping, causing a small squeak near the handle of the door. The noise caused them both to step backward, their shoulders nearly touching as they stared down at the knob for further movement.

Could rats do that? Would they mess with them that way?

Let it be Jo. Let it be her.

Then the knob fully twisted before the door was finally being pushed open.

Arlo held his breath, his heartbeat in his ears as whoever opened the door was finally revealed.

"Jo," he sighed, his breath finally releasing as he saw the girl standing in front of them. She was a mess of dirt across her face and clothes, spots of blood across her shirt - that didn't necessarily appear to be hers. Her eyes were partially turned red, leading him to believe that she had been crying.

But despite her state - she was here. Right in front of him. And she was okay.

"Oh thank God," Sam said, looking as though she wanted to rush forward to the girl.

However, before she could, Jo was already taking a step towards them, stumbling forward as Arlo could see there was something wrong with her right leg.

He beat Sam to the punch, moving to Jo in order to catch her and support her weight completely. Jo looked dazed, uncertain as she slowly glanced up to him - her brown eyes shining up into his blue.

"Arlo," she said, her voice wavering. It made his heart pull.

And then she threw her arms around his neck, bringing herself fully against him as she nuzzled into him. His arms immediately wrapped around her, in a way he couldn't fully fathom. But he kept her close and stable.

"I'm so sorry," she finished into his ear. Only for him to hear.