This chapter's a short one! Sorry, guys! It's just that SSupernatural took over my life a little.

And Terminal broke me. AND BRENDAN PERSONALLY PROMISED ME HILA MOMENTS AND I GOT NONE! Not cool, man. Not cool at all. I will never accept Chella as canon. Ever. Hi is Ella's soulmate.

They shouldn't have been there.

They should have been on their way to the airport, ready to fly back to Charleston, to sanity. Ready to get help.

But no.

The Virals and Han were instead moving stealthily through the city that used to be known as Night Vale.

And Han hadn't been exaggerating one tiny bit.

"Is this blood?" Hi asked as he stared down at the thick red puddle he'd stepped in.

"Probably." Han nodded.

Hi made a gagging noise. Shelton looked like he was going to faint.

"What is wrong with these people?"

Tory looked down at what appeared to be a human lung, grimaced, and stepped over it. "I'm not so sure they're people."

"Why am I here?" Ben scowled. This wasn't how he'd expected his week to go.

"There's somewhere I need to be."

Eventually the procession halted in front of a small, shabby but well cared for house. Han looked around cautiously, judged it was safe, and knocked on the door.

It was opened by something the Virals had never seen before, ten feet tall and glowing with what could only be described as heavenly radiance.

"Morning, Erika," greeted Han, "although it can't be morning since you aren't real." 'Erika' rolled its many eyes. "Is Josie in?"

The creature nodded and stepped back inside.

A minute later the door was reopened by a sweet-looking old lady.

A sweet-looking old lady wielding a military-grade submachine gun.

"I need to use the passage," Han said without hesitation.

"Right this way," the woman replied, leading Haneet and the Virals through the house, passing several more of the 'Erika' beings (one of whom Tory was certain was wearing a trenchcoat).

They stopped in a small utility room with a trapdoor half-covered with junk.

"Thank you, Josie." Han lifted the panel with a creak and put one foot onto the first rung of the ladder.

"Anything for a fellow resistor," Josie said. "Where is it you're going?"

"Can't tell you. You never know who's listening now. Stay strong, Old Woman Josie."

"Stay strong, Vigilante Haneet."

Han began her descent. Next went Ella, then Ben (who held Coop under one arm, being the only one strong enough to do so), then Tory. Hi followed them, and Shelton, casting a nervous glance back at the strange creatures and strange old lady, brought up the rear.

Old Woman Josie gazed down the hatch after the six of them, before closing it and reconcealing the entrance.

"Good luck, Haneet Dhillon."

Shelton jumped as he felt something slimy skitter past his leg. He couldn't see much in the tunnels, even flaring and with Haneet's glowing form up ahead lighting the way.

"What is this place?" Ella asked. She and Hi had subconsciously moved closer together, as had Tory and Ben.

"The catacombs," Han replied, voice echoing. "No-one knows who built them, but they run under every building in Night Vale. Even the ones that don't exist."

Far off, something howled. Coop growled in response.

"Wanna tell us where we're going now?" Ben sounded annoyed. Wandering around in damp subterranean passageways was hardly his idea of a good time.

"The radio station. I know it's dangerous, but I can't leave Night Vale without going in one last time." Han sighed mournfully.

Hi saw something move in his peripheral vision. "Is there anything...alive...down here?"

"Depends on how you define 'alive'."

Shelton threw up.

A note about the angel with the trenchcoat: See what I did there? (Nothing will ever convince me that Cas doesn't hang out with Old Woman Josie when he's not preoccupied staring at Dean.)