"You bitch!" Were the words screamed into the air in fury.

Liberty had been grabbed and forcefully slammed into the fleshy wall, causing a splash of goo and blood. Rocky stared in horror at the domestic exchange, too terrified to do anything.

"Chase calm down!" Zuma growled through his collar. If the Lab was physically there, he probably had a chance at stopping Chase, but here he was merely words on deaf ears. The Shepherd was spiraling out of control, already was he haunted by the terrible act he committed just several hours ago, but now dropped into a dark hell of organic corruption free to defile what remaining hope he had. Learning that Ryder could've played a role in all the chaos was a straw that broke the camel's back. Even then, Chase refused to accept it, instead shifting his attention to Liberty.

"Uff-" choked out the Dashchund as she hit the wall, "what are you-"

Chase snarled at her, keeping his strong paws firmly pinned into her body, "what have you done?! Tell me now!" He bared his teeth and emitted a fierce snarl, almost ready to tear Liberty to pieces. He hated it, he hated her, he hated the infection, he hated the monster, he hated everything he was being forced to face, and it sparked a deadly rage within him. And yet, he hated nothing more than himself, and somehow that made him the angriest of all.

"I didn't do anything!" Liberty pleaded, trying to wrench free, "I've already told you why I was here!"

"Bullshit!" The Shepherd refused to listen, "everything you say is bullshit!"

Rocky raced over in a desperate attempt to defuse the situation, "Chase!" He put his paws on his friend's shoulder in an attempt to get through to him, but to no avail.

Groaning in pain as she was pinned against the living surface, Liberty searched for any meaning left in Shepherd's eyes, "what happened to you?!"

"Feroxmalis happened!"

"No, that's a lie!" Liberty returned a hostile stare, "everyone is on edge, sure, but you have changed!" She insisted. Although she may just be another dog, Liberty was well accustomed to reading others, picking up on behaviors and mannerisms no one else could.

"You aren't the German Shepherd I met in Adventure City!"

"Liberty, stop," Rocky pleaded for her to cease talking, knowing it would anger Chase even more.

She defied the words, going all in as she met Chase's gaze with a smug look, "you know, they say in moments of danger, do you find out what kind of people your friends are," she grinned, now unfazed as her body remained locked against the surface.

"How can you even say that?!" Chase said, appalled, "we all witnessed that thing rip out of Rubble and lay waste to the courtyard, of course we've changed!"

"Nope! Not it!" Liberty shook her head with a grin, "Marshall and Rocky seem just like I remember them!"

Now it was Rocky's turn to be offended, "what?!"

The Dachshund brushed off the comment, "why you, Chase? Why are you different? What happened to you?" She leaned in, staring directly into Chase's seething pupils. To do this was risking her life, as one wrong comment could send the Shepherd into a frenzy and kill her. To think that Chase was capable of killing someone was a haunting thought, but something told Liberty that it wasn't far off from the truth. "I told the truth, didn't I? Now you tell me yours."

Kill her were the words being screamed into Chase's head. The static that clouded his mind still remained, only now it was beginning to take form. It twisted and turned its noise into words, issuing commands that Chase hadn't yet obeyed. They were getting louder, however, and the noise was slowly pulling the puppy into suffering and distress. It looked like he was thinking, the Shepherd's eyes flicked around like he was searching for answers to the situation, but he wasn't. He was fighting, frantically pushing back his own mind in a desperate attempt to not be responsible for another death. He would not kill Liberty, he would not listen to the static, at least for now.

"M- my... truth?" he breathed out, now finally registering what Liberty had asked him. His ears fell, then stood again, like his own body was unsure how to react.

"Yes, and," Liberty let a chuckle slide, "can you please let me down?"

After a moment, Chase obliged and released his city friend from his grasp, but not without narrowing his eyes in a distrustful gesture. Rocky could be heard sighing in relief, thanking whatever deity above that the situation had not escalated more than it had. It was then a wave of confusion and shame hit the mixed breed, a feeling that was new and unprepared for. Watching Chase manhandle Liberty was disturbing, and now he wondered if there was something more he could've done about it. It was obvious that just his word alone wouldn't save the Dashchund, would he have been able to restrain Chase and save her? He felt useless, evident as he slightly turned away from the duo and stared off into a line of teeth that trailed along the sickly pink wall.

Chase sat down, not caring that his tail was now dipped in translucent sludge. Was it finally time to tell the truth? It wasn't, it couldn't be. He had to let someone know, but he couldn't let anyone know. It was tearing him apart inside to see and over and over the atrocity he had committed, yet every second it remained untold was another second he was free. Was he truly free? Was it freeing to never tell the truth? The static only become stronger the more he sealed the truth within him, but he knew the static was never going away, or was it?

"Chase?" Liberty tilted her head, reaching out to the broken Shepherd.

When he pulled the trigger on Skye, his spirit immediately shattered apart. The pieces were dropped down into the void, left to burn in endless suffering over the one stupid action he wished he could take back. The static told him that nothing remained, that he was merely a cold, lifeless shell of what he once was, but darkness was known to lie. Perhaps there was one faint glimmer of himself still fighting to be relevant, a tiny remnant of a loyal Shepherd in blue that would jump to action to help those he loved.

He slowly turned his head to his friend, too ashamed to actually meet the mix's gaze, "Rocky, go on ahead."

"Huh?"

"Just... please. Give us a minute."

The mix looked to Liberty, who returned a small nod to him. Unsure of himself, he sighed and turned away. He didn't want to be alone, and wandering off into a dark living abyss was not something he was fond of doing. He started walking, leaving Chase and Liberty behind as he took to the corridor. He wouldn't go far, just enough until they were out of earshot, then he'd stay put and hide.

Chase watched him go, seeing the grey, white-tipped tail disappear into the darkness. He already regretted everything he was agreeing to, but there was no other option. To tell Marshall the truth would break their bond, destroying the brotherly relationship they've built over the years. Telling Rocky would shatter his trust, leaving him to denounce Chase's leadership he so fiercely upheld. Telling Zuma would be his worst mistake, it would confirm everything the Lab already suspected, and possibly result in a bloody dogfight.

"He's gone." Liberty said simply, sitting down to face Chase, "now talk to me."

His mind grew, forcing Chase to wince slightly as a piercing noise hit his ear. Liberty remained unaffected, witnessing front row the mental agony he was going through. It all built up into one cacophony of crooked music, screeching so loud he could barely hear anything else. He had to tell her, but another voice scolded him not to. He wanted to open up but a force within him constantly stabbed in a needle and threaded through his body, sewing up his lie to never see the light. Tell her, don't tell her, tell her, don't tell her.

"I..." he shook his head a little, his voice cracking.

The static spiraled out of control, nearly consuming his brain, beginning to build pressure like an active volcano. It churned and intensified, all leading up to one powerful mind-break to take Chase's soul into the void where it belonged.

"I..." he said again, kneading his paws.

His ears deafened, vision blurring over as words and phrases echoed in his head. He couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but they were all fizzling like a ticking bomb, screaming and wailing. Feroxmalis's screech played on repeat in his ears, forcing him to listen over and over until he was so disoriented he couldn't breathe.

"I killed Skye..."

Everything stopped.

The static, the screams, the noise, it all suddenly stopped. Finally, Chase felt a weight lift from him, riding alongside the pained, broken words that left his muzzle. His mind was quiet again, and he could breathe easily for the first time in hours.

"What?" Liberty drew back a little, raising her eyebrow.

"I... I killed her."

"Well she was infected, wasn't she?" Liberty shrugged, "you did what you had to do."

"No, you don't understand!" The Shepherd whined, trying to fight back tears, "she was never infected to begin with..."

The Dachshund's eyes widened in shock, now beginning to catch on.

"Hell, at the time I didn't know if Feroxmalis was even here," Chase hung his head, "but Cyrus made it sound so... horrible and I... I was scared," he confessed, "I was so scared... like when I had to go back to Adventure City... but it was so much worse this time." A sorrowful feeling hit him, as he remembered the traumatizing past he endured beneath the skyscrapers of the city.

His memory called back to the device Cyrus had given him, "he gave me this... thing. A thing that could apparently read blood and sound an alarm when it detected anything foreign. I knew Skye was sick, as did everyone else, and, well... that was what I mostly hinged on."

"What was she sick with?" Liberty asked.

"Fuck if I know, could've been literally just the flu or something," the Shepherd growled slightly, "but it was a terrible coincidence that I focused on, completely ignoring anyone else. Who knows, Rubble could've had an obvious sign of being infected, a sign that I completely ignored."

His friend moved to his side, slowly and sympathetically placing her paw onto his.

"I murdered her, Liberty," he choked out, voice breaking, "I just... I just fucking shot her like a common criminal. She didn't even have time to react, she just died." He tried to say something else, but the Shepherd could no longer contain himself. He lowered his head, a simple pose on the outside, but within he was torn to shreds, his mistakes and failures scratching at his heart. He had failed his patrol, he failed Ryder, he failed Adventure Bay, and he failed himself.

"Chase, I-" his friend said softly, stopping as she tried to find the words, "I'm so sorry."

She gently leaned on his shoulder and draped an arm around him, pulling him in for a soft hug. Chase didn't return the gesture.

"To make matters worse," he said again, "I left my gun in the Boiler Room, along with the ACG radio Cyrus gave me. Like an idiot, I discarded them, now the power's out and I can't get them back without Rocky fixing the breakers, and for that, he needs to come down here. We're literally in this mess because of me. It's all my fault."

"Dogs make mistakes, it's okay," Liberty tried to reason within him.

"No," Chase replied a little harshly, "to call this a mistake is insufficient. I... I fucked up. I completely fucked up."'

"Okay, well-" she stammered, growing a tad agitated, "everyone fucks up at some point! Look at me!"

"You?" He met her gaze, "what have you ever done?"

"A lot of things," she laughed awkwardly, "I uh... well..." she took a deep breath, "I... had to give up a puppy once." The words left her mouth, and for a moment Chase didn't believe what he even heard.

"A... puppy?" He tilted his head, "what are you... what do you mean?"

"An infant, Chase," she clarified, "I had an infant... an infant I couldn't take care of..." a sad sigh left her, as she too bowed her head, "so I had to give him, left him at the fire station." Liberty hadn't gone as far as killing someone like Chase had, but she had a glimmer of understanding of what it was like to make a horrible mistake.

"Aren't you a puppy though?" The police officer put together, "how did you..."

"Let's just say I made a really big mistake..." Liberty held a paw out, gesturing as she spoke, "... and as a result, I may have... changed or completely ended the life of an infant."

"Jesus..."

"So I guess what I'm trying to say is... I understand, a little at least," She gave a soft smile, "even though it was roughly a year ago, it still haunts me. I guess I didn't kill anyone, that I know of..."

The two dogs sat in silence, both listening to the gentle churning of the stomach-like hallway they resided in. It was a weirdly calming sound to Chase's ears, a feeling he'd never thought he'd cross with the disgusting nightmare that Feroxmalis had created down there.

"What am I supposed to tell Ryder?" He said finally, staring down at the floor, "that I killed one of our own? By mistake?"

"I don't think Ryder is coming back..."

The Shepherd whipped around in a snarl, "he is! You'll see..." a faint whine emitted from him, as he backed up to look around at the hellish environment. "Ryder wouldn't abandon us... he... he never will."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Grunting as he called forward all the strength within him, Zuma heaved in a strained breath, pushing aside a folded table that was blocking a new door. The Lab was eager to get moving, motivated by the discovery of a device that seemingly interfered with their communications. He put his nose on the floor and searched for any possible sign of a new path, eventually discovering a door that was blocked by a variety of discarded utilities. Marshall sat aside dragging his paws along the ground, a subtle coping mechanism as he tried to keep himself come. Zuma seemed oblivious to his friend's distress, or he did know but was just ignoring it. The Dalmation watched his friend attempt to dislodge a large computer, the last object in the way of the door. Unfortunately, it was significantly heavier than anything else, and Zuma was unsuccessful.

The spotted puppy tried to reach out to the Lab, "I want to go back to Chase."

"Why?" Zuma said in a simple reply, not even turning around, "what's so special about him?"

"Nothing, I just..." the Dalmation lowered himself to the floor, resting his chin on his paws, "no offense, Zuma, but I think I'd just feel safer with him."

Now Zuma whipped around, "safer than me? Chase will throw you to that thing the first chance he gets."

"I've noticed you really don't trust him that much anymore," Marshall narrowed his eyes.

"Well, you can't trust most these days."

The Lab's words were disturbing to his companion, more so considering the irony of that statement. Getting increasingly anxious, Marshall licked his paw a few times before getting to his fur. There was little he could do to actually soothe his fears, with a simple groom being the next best thing.

Zuma tried to move the obstacle again, but to no avail, "damn it, literally the one thing in our way."

"Maybe there's another way to move it?" Marshall tried to get his participation in, not wanting Zuma to think he was lazy.

"There isn't... unless you have super strength."

"I guess we could really use those Mighty Pup powers right about now..." the Dalmation said with a faint smile, remembering the adventures they had. His smile then fell, remembering the only pup to gain super strength was Rubble. It was obvious that Zuma was remembering too, as there was a noticeable dip in his mood, a wave of sadness raining on him.

"Rubble's gone," he said softly, quietly mourning the loss of his good friend.

Picking his head up a little, Marshall got up and walked over to his friend, seeking to comfort him. Coming to his side, the spotted dog held out his arm, offering a hug. Zuma completely ignored it, not even looking at his companion, "this is Chase's fault," he hissed.

"What has he done?"

It was a solid question, what exactly had Chase done? He went behind the backs of the team, conspiring with a military organization that scarred Rocky. He withheld vital information from them, keeping away a twisted secret that a threat walked alongside the dogs, and didn't reveal it until the very last minute while flashing a gun around. That was the worst one, the gun, the weapon that Chase as a police officer would surely be so familiar with. He murdered Skye in front of everyone, and Zuma now fully believed that to be a fact. He didn't need Chase to confess his sins or secretly slide him a note with the truth written on it. He simply just knew, knew that Chase was no longer the German Shepherd they once loved and laughed with. That dog was insane, no less a monster than the creature that hunted them.

"He killed Skye, Marshall."

The words hit the Dalmation like a bullet train, and he could be seen visibly freezing up. "I..." he stammered, "I know. Can we not talk about this?"

"No, you're not understanding," Zuma turned to face him, "Skye never had the monster in her, it was Rubble. Chase assumed it was her and shot her in front of everyone without even giving her a fair chance to explain."

"No, that's not-" Marshall blinked, a confused expression on his face as he tried to process the information, "he wouldn't..."

"Wouldn't what?" The Lab challenged him, "kill someone? He's a cop, it's what they do."

The Dalmation backed up, staring in horror as he defied the words, "Zuma, no... he," his voice went shaky, "you can hate Chase, but you can't say these things about him!"

"Say what, the truth?" Zuma followed steadily, beginning to back Marshall into a wall, "maybe if you weren't so starry-eyed around him you'd actually see it." A low growl escaped from him, and Marshall drew back further now feeling even more afraid. "I don't trust him, and you shouldn't either," Zuma shrugged, "and I'm not forcing that on you, it's just my... suggestion. We could all die down here if we make the wrong move, given the circumstances, we can't afford to keep holding our trust on someone if we feel they'll tear us all down."

"You mean..." Marshall dared to say, a fit of defiance rising in him, "someone like you?"

Bewildered at the Dalmation's accusation, Zuma was tempted to lash at him, but such a gesture would only solidify him as a broken bond. He couldn't afford to lose the trust of his companions, "no, not me. You can trust me," he nodded, "you need to."

"Well here's a news flash," came the firefighter's response, puffing up his white fur and bearing his teeth, "I don't trust you!"

A loud bang suddenly tore through the air, making both dogs draw back in surprise. The sound resembled a punch of metal like something threw itself into a solid wall. It was then that Zuma realized in horror just how loud they were talking, the conversation had escalated far beyond safe parameters.

Marshall paled, unable to move as he darted his vision around in paranoia, "what was that?"

Turning to look back at the fleshy orifice they had climbed through to get into the room, Zuma scanned over it as if he was searching for something. It seemed like the only way inside until the Lab looked up and noticed several displaced ceiling tiles. It would be all too easy for something to drop in from above.

"Hide," Zuma tried to hide his own fear in his voice.

Marshall didn't hear, still paralyzed.

"Hide!" He snapped, and finally, the Dalmation rendered his words.

The spotted dog turned back to the tables and cabinets, "hide where?!" Crawling under a table was easy, but it was also just as easy to glance under one to check for prey. The cabinets were tight and claustrophobic, not a fear Marshall had, but still an uncomfortable position to be in. "Are you sure it-"

An echo suddenly sounded through the room, resembling that of a long, layered exhale of breath. It was like a hiss, like the building itself was breathing around them. Soon after, the sound of metal clawing and scraping began to tear into their ears, vastly approaching. Marshall didn't need to ask twice, exploding into a panicked run and making haste toward the storage cabinets. He clicked open the first dog and tried to climb in, only stopping upon realizing it was full of papers and assorted office equipment.

Zuma broke into action, searching for a place to hide. Hiding with Marshall seemed like the easy option, but also the most dangerous as it would render both dogs dead should they be found. Even though the separation was a terrible idea in situations like this, now was a unique time when it was necessary. The Lab began to run at another cabinet a few feet away when suddenly another banging sound hit his ears, and it was close. Where in the world was Feroxmalis? With how close it sounded it seemed like it'd be in the room by now.

Panicking, he abandoned his course of action and dove under one of the tables, staying low to the ground to avoid sticking out too much. Marshall was completely concealed, but Zuma had found a less favorable place, if he was found he'd have little time to react. The only saving grace was that the table had a massive blanket of fabric draped over it, a sheet probably used to cover up old computers. He knew the creature was rather tall so it wouldn't see him right away, and the sheet of fabric was helping in obscuring him.

Marshall chose another door, his paws stumbling with the latch as fear and dread were overwriting his focus. Clicking the door open, he saw the cabinet was completely empty. Not wasting even a second of time, he climbed into it and shut the door behind him. Now contained like old food in Tupperware, Marshall had only the three horizontal slits on the door to peek out with. He held his breath, tried to slow his pounding heart, and patiently waited for any sign of the monster.

Several minutes passed, and neither dog heard or saw anything. Zuma sat motionless like the dead, double-checking every second that his tail had not idly slid out into view. He feared for Marshall, believing right away the puppy was at risk of messing something up and giving himself away. He was surrounded by the unknown and refused to come out unless he was absolutely sure.

Locked away in the cabinet, Marshall had the advantage of actually being able to see out. He scanned his eyes around the room, a difficult motion due to his limited field of view. "Where is it...?" They heard it so clearly, so close, like it was directly above their heads just waiting to pounce. The creature probably would've just ambushed the room entirely if the dogs continued arguing. Marshall waited another few seconds, but still there was no sign of it. He gently placed a paw on the door, once again taking a peek through the slits before he pushed out.

A mangled paw of flesh suddenly slapped onto the front of the door, coming down from above like a rotten chunk of meat and bone. Marshall suppressed a scream and drew back as far as he possibly could. Its claws slowly scratched at its metal surface, and Feroxmalis climbed down from on top of the cabinets. The Dalmation was unable to control his heavy breathing, where in the world did it come from if he didn't see it come down from the ceiling? Dragging itself down, the creature's body of gore passed over the cabinet, and for once Marshall managed to get a clear view of its underbelly.

To say Feroxmalis had an "underbelly" was a stretch. A belly was a soft, ticklish surface usually covered in fur, eager for belly rubs to appease all the stress and anxiety of a dog. What Marshall was seeing now was nothing like the sort, a sight that made him gag in horror. The literal belly of the beast was a crude canvas of gore, sprouting webs of tendons to secure its squirming bodymass. Despite its incredibly thin bone frame, It's "chest" did have a visible ribcage that jutted out of its upper spine, resembling more of a cold, empty cage where a heart should be. The stomach was visible off to the right, audibly gurgling away as it worked to digest some horrific foreign material. The stomach was hastily fastened to the spine with the intestine and was the only organ Marshall could visibly recognize. He had no feasible idea what any of the other mess under the creature was, but it did catch his eye that Feroxmalis had no visible heart.

With what small, limited view he had of its ribcage, he swore he saw the faint outline of a small dog, maybe two, maybe four, trapped within the organic mass behind the ribs.

Scraping off of the cabinets, Feroxmalis slithered into the room, its thin tail flicking like an antenna. Its footsteps were heavy and loud, terrifying Zuma the closer he heard them draw near. The creature was far from unintelligent, fully aware that its prey was nearby. It knew not to waste its energy overturning tables and ripping down walls, another method would work just as fine, if not better. Lowering its ripped, skin-masked head, it opened its mouth and began to rearrange its organs.

A gentle, soft voice left its maw, "guys?"

Zuma stopped cold, his eyes widening in a mix of shock and bewilderment. Marshall heard it just as clearly, and the Dalmation came forward a little in the cabinet, itching to get a look.

That was Rubble's voice.

"Guys, I'm here," the Bulldog's voice echoed, "Zuma, where are you?"

Feroxmalis wasn't moving its mouth, nor had fully intact lips to form words. It didn't need them, its mutation had been left unchecked for so long, allowing it to reach a new stage in its evolution. Rubble wasn't finished yet, it needed more body mass to put the Bulldog "back together" enough to make it convincing. Even then, if one had a few seconds standing before the creature, they'd be able to see Rubble's head poking out of its left shoulder. He wouldn't be the only one, Feroxmalis maliciously prepared room in its body for five more dogs.

"Marshall," Zuma breathed, despite knowing his friend couldn't hear him, "please don't..."

The firefighter was almost hypnotized by the voice of his fallen friend, making him paw at the door of the cabinet. He missed Rubble so much, and Skye just as well. They hadn't physically seen Rubble get torn apart, to Marshall that was reason enough that he could still be alive.

"Ru-" he stuttered, gently scratching at the door with his spotted paw, "Rubble..." He wanted so desperately to come out, yet he knew he'd die if he would, but he had to. He couldn't, but he could, but Feroxmalis was out there, but what if it wasn't out there? What if it really was Rubble? An odd, lingering noise of static had entered the Dalmation's head, sending his mind into a whirlwind of questions and reasonings. Marshall shook his head, trying to pull himself back to reality. Returning his gaze to the door, he looked out to try and see his old friend, but his view had changed.

He could see the musky, bloodied fangs of Feroxmalis's maw, breathing into the cabinet.

It found him.

A horrific warcry screeched into the air as Feroxmalis confirmed the sight of its prey. Marshall squeezed himself back into the cabinet as far as he would go, now audibly shrieking in terror like a terrified puppy. Flexing its claws, the creature hissed at its contained food, and raked its paw as hard as possible across the metal surface, producing a sound like the scraping of a chalkboard in half a second. Zuma jumped out from under the table, filled with horror as he stared at his doomed friend. "Marshall!"

The door held, its metal built resisting the blooded razors of Feroxmalis's claws. Irritated at the failed attack, the monster bristled the tentacles from its back in agitation. If tactic and ability wouldn't work, then maybe brute force was the way to go. It balled its degloved paw, pulling the arm back as it wound up its strength. In a blinding second it punched into the cabinet door, instantly deforming it and bending it inwards. One of its two hinges snapped off like a piece of broken wood, gently bouncing to floor while the other barely held the door. The sound of the impact was like a gunshot, echoing through the air making Zuma flinch. The Lab was completely exposed, yet Feroxmalis ignored his presence, deliberately targeting the Dalmation. The screams the puppy made, the frantic scribbles of its spotted paws in the confined cabinet, it filled the monster with adrenaline.

The door was broken but barely held on with a weak little hinge, further enraging the monster. With its edges now jutting outward, Feroxmalis gripped its paws around the door and attempted to tear it off. Its strength was that of a Rhinoceros, with the seething anger like a cloud of hornets. Marshall had lost the memo to remain calm and silent, his life flashing before his eyes as he cowered before the monster tearing into his hiding spot. The Dalmation cried out helplessly, as he was completely trapped with nowhere to run other than the jaws of Feroxmalis. The firefighter tried to back up, when he suddenly felt a tentacle wrap around his leg, coiling like a hair-thin worm.

With brutal cruelty, Marshall was forcibly ripped out of the, yanked through the door by his leg. A feeble grunt escaped his muzzle as his body collided with the hard tile floor. Dazed, the puppy whimpered and meekly looked up, only to see Feroxmalis sucking back in the tentacle through its arm.

"N- no!" the Dalmation gasped, trying to crawl away.

Leaning its head down, Feroxmalis scanned its prey, basking in his fear.

"Come on Marshall," Rubble's voice echoed from the mass of gore, "stop fighting." The predator slid a tentacle over its lips like a squirming appendage then roared down at the puppy, baring its jaws of teeth.

Acting fast, Zuma jumped up on one of the computer tables, frantically looking for anything to save his friend. There was a gas canister sitting idly a few feet away, just another in the numerous that seemed to be sprinkled around the basement. Panicked, Zuma jumped from table to table, accidentally slipping as he landed awkwardly on the third. He grunted from the impact, gripping his dull claws into the table's surface. Feroxmalis picked its head up, eyeing the Labrador with a warning hiss. Seeing the monster distracted, Marshall attempted to roll back on his paws and run away. He didn't get even two inches away before Feroxmalis stepped its leg onto his back, painfully pinning him to the floor. Why wasn't it just killing them right away? Why not just end their suffering now? Feroxmalis, what little cognitive understanding was left in it, made sure to prolong each and every kill as slowly as possible. It wanted to hear and feel the agony, every drop of it.

"Nyahh!" Zuma grabbed the gas canister in his arms with all the strength he had, "eat this!" Calling forward a burst of energy he flung the flammable explosive directly at the monster. He knew it was fragile, and he quickly jumped to the floor and covered his face, bracing himself for the explosion. It was time, time to finally end the creature in one massive fire.

The gas canister smacked Feroxmalis in the face, bouncing off its cheek and making the monster grunt in annoyance. It plummeted to the floor with a loud crash, eventually rolling to a stop.

It didn't explode.

Zuma's heart sank even lower than the floor, paling under his fur upon realizing his plan had failed. His hope was gone, consumed by a gluttonous monster who exhausted every option Zuma threw at it. The Lab's breathing shook in terror, his paws still firmly clasped over his face like he was terrified of seeing his own death.

Snarling in anger, it released Marshall, only to open its palm and shoot out a writhing tentacle. The appendage coiled around Marshall's torso and yanked helplessly him into the air. "Aah- aaahhh!" The spotted puppy flailed as he was picked up, "help!" Pulling the tentacle back in, Feroxmalis caught Marshall in its paw, roared furiously into the air, and flung the puppy into Zuma.

"Aaaahhhh!" Zuma had to dive off the table to avoid the friendly fire, landing lightly on his neck. The landing didn't kill him, but come dangerously close, instead sending a shock through the Lab's body. Marshall flew past him, crashing into the back wall and ricocheting off. A bloodstain was left where Marshall hit the surface, and the puppy landed limply on the floor. A faint twitch emitted from his paw, before the Dalmation entirely stopped moving, blood leaking around him.

Zuma turned his head where his partner had fallen, his breathing erratic and shaky, "Marshall!" He scrambled backward in the office, shaking his head in denial, "no!"

Making a noise like a low growl, Feroxmalis screeched and lifted its left paw, slithering out a long, red tentacle. It had mutated even further, seemingly unlocking new abilities within the vile creature. Wielding the tentacle like a squirming whip, it held the paw over its head, then flung it down with great force. The tentacle crashed down with a deadly impact, barely missing Zuma, but utterly obliterating an entire table and computer in the way. The table smashed into millions of broken wood pieces, the computer exploding into sparking metals and glass.

With no other option, Zuma ran, seeking cover wherever he could find it. He was half-blinded by the tears streaming out his eyes, dazed from the impact of landing on his neck. A piercing static in his head was shrieking over and over, following him as he moved under table after table. The tentacle was relentless, Feroxmalis repeatedly pulling it back and slamming it forward again. A second table was smashed, exposing the cowering Labrador as he ran for another spot, then a third table exploded into shards.

Zuma cried as he charged in panic, crashing into the door he attempted to open just a couple of minutes ago. The old computer still sat in front of it, pinning the door closed. The whole room was in shambles, with nothing but shredded wood and glass every two feet. Snarling, Feroxmalis wound up its arm and backhanded a pile of debris in its way, scattering it to the side of the room. Zuma whimpered as he scratched his paws against the stuck door, whimpering like a puppy begging to be let inside.

Slurping the appendage back into its body, Feroxmalis shook as it discharged a translucent fluid from its paws. Shaking its head in a growl, it flexed its razor claws and prepared to leap. The tentacle play was just a warm-up, a workout to get used to its new utilities, but it wasn't playing anymore. Its claws begged to be bloodied red, and their edges would soon meet the body of a Chocolate Labrador. Zuma looked back just in time to see the monster leap into through the air, claws outstretched.

Zuma's life flashed before his eyes, and at that moment, he uttered a silent prayer. He swore he felt the gentle touch of his mother, her paw comfortingly on his shoulder. As the world went silent, she leaned in and spoke softly into his ear.

"Wake up,"

Snapped back to reality in the last possible millisecond, Zuma ducked down, throwing himself to the floor. Feroxmalis raked its claws over him, catching them into the door and ripping them down. The door was shredded into nothing, crumbling into broken wood and sending the metal knob flying. The passage was finally open, allowing access to a brand-new room. Zuma had no time to look inside, taking advantage of the creature's moment of confusion and bolting away. His eyes fell onto the fleshy orifice that made up the entrance, the nightmarish cavern of gore they had to crawl through. It was the only out, as the creature stood before the only other exit out.

Wincing, Zuma seized his only chance.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Do you hear that?" Chase narrowed his eyes, pricking his ears.

Liberty and Rocky stopped walking, tuning their senses to any noise around them. Their surroundings were quiet for a few seconds, until the sound of a smashed table echoed to them.

"What is that?" Rocky took a small step forward, flattening his ears, "is that... is that the creature?"

Chase and Liberty met up with Rocky soon after their conversation, rejoining the concerned mix and continuing their hike through the basement. As they each walked, the dogs carried their individual thoughts over the matter. Chase was filled with an odd combination of fear and determination, striving to fix his mistakes while still boiling in shame. Rocky's thoughts were on his Shepherd friend, quietly worried about his mental stability. Plotting in secret, Liberty scanned dozens of ways in her head to find the samples she needed. She wasn't going back to the Archline Foundation empty-pawed, she needed at least something.

Pointing a grey paw, Rocky eyed a jointing path up ahead, briefly obscured by bloodied intestine hanging from the ceiling, "it came from there, let's go."

"Wait, we're going to Feroxmalis?" Chase whipped his head at him, staring at the mix, "are you insane? You want to go toward the thing that's been killing all of us?"

Ignoring him, Rocky sped up toward the new path, "we left Zuma and Marshall, they could be in trouble."

"Bad idea, Rocky, why can't we just keep going straight?" He flicked his ears toward the continuing path, "there's no sense in making twists and turns."

"I'm not leaving my friends, Chase."

"Well-" Chase stuttered, trying to formulate a response that didn't make him sound horrible, "I think maybe we," he hesitated again, completely lost in his words.

Liberty pushed past him, "here, I'll go forward, you go with Rocky." She instantly charged off, leaving no opportunity for Chase to respond.

"Oh fantastic, I get to go see the death monster with my idiot friend," the Shepherd grumbled, walking to follow Rocky. Picking up his pace, he caught up with the mix as he was pushing under the hanging tendrils. There was a fierce spark of tenacity within the mixed breed, and Chase felt a pang of jealousy, it wasn't fair that Rocky was stronger-willed than him.

"Oh, good, you're with me on this," Rocky flashed an endearing smile at his partner.

"No I am fucking not."

They approached a metal door that was sealed shut. It wasn't made out of wood or had visible hinges or knobs, it was an electric door that lifted up and down, made of a sturdy material that wasn't easily broken.

"Whatever's behind here must be important," Rocky narrowed his eyes, "how do we open this?"

Chase approached the door and sniffed around its outline, pawing at the fleshy sludge. Trailing his arm along, he located a lever that was buried under the gore.

"Here," he said with mild amusement, gripping the handle in his teeth and yanking it down. The door opened by itself, almost like magic, providing access to a dark room. Rocky walked inside before Chase had finished wiping his mouth of the blood. Looking around, the mix noticed what looked like an odd box with buttons on the side of it. "The hell?" He turned his head to see a large maze of pipes running along the left wall, likely a master plumbing system.

Chase followed in after him, "what is this, some kind of utility room?"

Walking deeper in, Rocky rounded a corner, "no I think it's some kind of-" he stopped in his tracks, coming up a new doorway. However, the door was completely destroyed, littering the floor below with wood shavings and broken metal pieces. Narrowing his eyes, Rocky lowered his head and sniffed the pieces.

He let out a noise of confusion, closely inspecting the mess. Chase came to his side, "what happened here?"

Just four feet away, Zuma stopped in surprise, whipping around at the sound of Chase's voice, "Chase?!"

"Hm?" The Shepherd looked up, "yea-" he stopped cold, drawing back in terror as his ears flattened, "oh shit!"

Feroxmalis turned around so sharply that its spine completely twisted a full 180 degrees. Locking eyes with the two other dogs, it abandoned its previous target and turned to the new prey. Roaring out in rage, it swung a tentacle out its paw and flung the blunt end at the exposed doorway.

It was a narrow dodge, Chase grabbed the mix at his side and shoved him to the ground, ducking as the tentacle flew over their heads and collided with the back wall. "Run!" Zuma shouted with what little freedom he had, before running to Marshall. Feroxmalis withdrew its appendage as the two dogs scrambled to their paws.

"Go go! We'll use the door to cut it off!" Rocky screamed as he tore away.

Chase tried to stand up but stumbled at the last second, making him trip over himself. The monstrous creature bared its teeth and lunged for the Shepherd, seeking to tear him apart. He collected himself and began to run, hearing Feroxmalis pounding footsteps as it sprinted for Chase. The puppy rounded the corner, fleeing for the door where Rocky was waiting. Feroxmalis couldn't slow down to make the turn, and crashed head-on into the wall of the utility room, dazing it from the impact of hitting the pipes. Shaking its dizziness out, the predator narrowed its vision on the puppy making a break for the electric door.

Not this time.

The creature lowered down and prepared to spring, not wasting a second of time. In an instant, it kicked out its back legs and sprang into the air, honing in on the German Shepherd.

"Chase, duck!" Rocky called, terrified as he watched the sight unfold.

The Shepherd immediately flattened himself to the ground, skidding to a stop. Feroxmalis sailed over him, crash-landing out into the hallway and knocking into the wall. An enraged screech howled through the air as the creature scrambled to its feet. Rocky turned and raced back under the door, nearly tripping over Chase as he ran for the second lever.

"Rocky!" Rubble screamed from the abyss, Feroxmalis's tentacle shot out of its paw, coiling around Rocky's leg.

The mix was yanked off-balance, hitting the floor. He screamed in panic, desperately reaching for the door lever that was just three inches from his paw. He tried with all his puppy might to fight against its hold, but slowly he began to get pulled back.

"Chase, the door!" He yelled.

The Shepherd tried to stand but was disoriented as his vision began to blur over. The close proximity to the creature seemed to have an odd effect on him.

"Chase!" Rocky planted his claws into the floor, desperately trying to save himself.

"Huh..." the police officer blinked, stumbling to his paws, "huh?"

"The door!"

Feroxmalis spit out a second tentacle, flinging it forward to ensnare Rocky's other leg, dragging him faster.

"Chase! Get the- aaahh!" Rocky cried out.

Zuma flew by Chase, bumping past him as he jumped to the lever. In a solid motion, the Lab gripped the lever and yanked it down, activating the mechanism. The door shut almost instantaneously, just milliseconds before Rocky passed under it. The tentacles holding the mix were severed, prompting an echoed howl of rage on the other side.

Rocky scrambled backward, breathing heavily as he was filled with terror, "Z- ... Zuma."

"I'm here," the Lab went to his side, helping him untangle his legs.

It was finally now that Chase's static-filled mind cleared again, and he came back to reality. Blinking in confusion, he looked around and spotted Rocky getting up, nuzzling Zuma in gratitude. "Oh," he stuttered in quiet surprise, a gut-wrenching feeling of shame hitting him. Before he could say anything, Rocky and Zuma raced off, seeking to check Marshall's condition despite leaving Chase completely alone. "Hey, wait-" he muttered, running after them.

On the other end, Feroxmalis stumbled back, shock hitting its body from two of its tendrils being cut. It was of little concern in the long run, as it had mutated enough to regenerate at a faster frequency. More tendrils were coming soon anyway, the creature hissed as it backed away from the door. It was filled with hatred, and a piece of it wanted to tear into the wall and tunnel back to them. Feroxmalis had never seen this much resistance before, it wasn't often that its prey had the utility to fight back. That damned Husky who lived in the mountain, that winter dog gave Feroxmalis enough trouble as-is, it preferred it greatly when the victims were easy pickings. No matter, bracing its claws, it prepared itself to rip open the wall. Only then its nose caught a smell, a scent that made it stop in its tracks. Turning its head, it followed the smell of the Dachshund, the dog who foolishly split up from the group. Snarling in hunger, the creature shook itself off and raced down the hallway.