Hey! So sorry for the delay in uploads, your girl came down with kidney stones lololol

BUT I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED

happy valentine's and superbowl sunday to my american friends, and a good week to the rest of you lovely readers. see you soon!

"Henry, where's Charlie..?" Michael questioned, hands tensing with worry.

The man looked fearfully back at him, hair askew and cheeks flushed from his running. "That wolf thing showed up and we got separated- I thought she'd beaten me here, but there's no sign of her," he answered.

Michael's heart sank, wondering the obvious.

"M-Maybe she went back to the house..." Laura offered half-heartedly, but they all knew that wasn't likely and Michael opened his mouth to say so, knowing their time to find her safely was already draining when a grated male's voice interrupted him.

"Don't waste your time," it spoke silkily. The three whipped around to the source of the sound; a dark figure standing on the building's roof.

Springtrap's long ears were a dead giveaway, but the suit appeared to be mended, wires and gears no longer sticking out at odd angles, the fur darker and rough.

"She's right here," Afton drawled. "Isn't that right, Charlie?"

There was some noise of struggling. "I'm sorry, Papa, I tried-" Charlie gasped, and they caught a glimpse of her trapped in one of the animatronic's claws, clambering unsuccessfully to free herself.

"Afton-!" Henry bellowed with a growl, hands balled into fist with a fiery fury in his eyes. "Let her go, or I'll-"

"Or you'll what?" The man interrupted delicately with a tilt of his head and a taunting smile. "Your years are catching up to you, old friend. You're in no position to make demands. I, on the other hand, am perfectly able and willing to bargain."

Michael's brow furrowed; there seemed to be something different about his father- a stark contrast to the man he'd met in Fazbear Frights, now bearing down on them with delight in his villainy and power. And as he stared at the figure above him, it occurred to him that this was the character that had been hidden from their family, the character that had committed crimes he couldn't imagine.

The very thought sent shivers through his core. He drew back from his lost thoughts as Afton's yellow eyes turned to his.

"Michael, you've taken something from me..." Afton continued.

It was then he realized he still had the package he stole from the workshop- he'd almost forgotten he'd had it, tucked safely under his arm. His eyes widened as he looked back up at his father.

"I'll need that back if you want her safe return." He said lowly.

Michael's jaw set with a frown, brow furrowed.

"What is it?" He demanded, closing his grip on the case. At that, Afton laughed.

"Curious, hmm? I'd indulge you, but our time is, quite unfortunately, running short," he spoke easily as if they were chatting about something as benign as the weather, eyes fixed on the moon dropping behind tall mountains. His gaze dropped back down, a smug smirk on his face. "But you'll learn soon enough."

It chilled Michael how in-control the man sounded, as if he'd planned this all along, pulling the strings to some sick mind game he was playing with them. It felt like a twisted match of cat-and-mouse.

The boy snarled. "You can't call the shots, here-"

"Can't I?" Afton interrupted dangerously, eyes flashing.

He motioned for the animatronic beside him to move forward until they stood side by side, Charlie still wrestling in its grip. His hand seized her chin violently, holding her face still as he stared down at the trio who were suddenly silent in fear below.

"She may be dead, but who's to say I can't do further damage to this thing she inhabits?" He snarled lowly, hatred dripping from his words. "I'm not sure you want me to investigate... and believe me, I will if you cause further trouble."

His eyes narrowed.

"Am I understood?" He posed in a dangerously even tone.

Charlie squirmed in his grip, eyes shut tightly with a scowl on her face. The three were frozen, not knowing what to say for a moment before she looked at them with a small, painful nod. No one said anything until Henry stared up at the roof, loathing written in every line of his expression.

"Fine..." he growled in a strained voice, eyes piercing Afton as his hands shook, clenched at his sides. "But if you've harmed her in any way, when the time comes- you'll pay for it. Dearly."

His former friend's eyes narrowed, an uncomfortable frown at his mouth. It seemed that he held some credit to that threat, despite the confidence he'd had only moments prior.

"Duly noted, Emily..." he murmured with a snarl.

Yellow light shot through the pink spilling over red mountains beyond the city, stars fading from the previously cloaked sky, and Afton backed away from the ledge.

"We'll talk soon."

And with that, he, the robot, and Charlie ducked out of sight.

The three watched them disappear as sunlight crept across the parking lot, casting thin shadows on the building. Henry swore, pulling a hand through his hair as he turned and faced the road with a rigid frame.

"Blast it- blast it- I shouldn't have left her, I knew I shouldn't have let her take them-" he cursed in a seething growl, hands shaking. Michael moved to reach forward consolingly, but stopped and withdrew as guilt seeped through him- this trip was his idea, after all. He frowned, pulling back before looking down at the case tucked under his arm and wondered if Charlie's capture was really worth anything after all.

He moved to hold it in both hands, beginning to crack open the lid before Henry turned, and seeing his action, spoke swiftly.

"Don't open that- not here," he urged, eyes flicking back up to the roof. The boy peered up at his movement before easing it back shut as the man pulled out his keys.

"Wait until we're somewhere safer. That's our last chance to..." he trailed with a pause before shaking his head, moving to unlock the car. "C'mon," he muttered.

Michael slid into the passenger while Laura got in the backseat and they had hardly a moment to situate themselves before Henry pulled the car out of its stall swiftly and started it to the road with more vigor than his usual drive. No one spoke for a few minutes- the shock of the unexpected danger, their close-calls, and Charlie's capture said enough in their silence.

They finally pulled into the driveway, feeling rather defeated as they silently exited the car and started back into the house.

They'd barely crossed the threshold of the foyer when Henry looked back at Michael, a serious look on his face. "C'mon, let's get that open and see what we have to work with." He said purposefully. The three walked to the kitchen where Michael slid the case onto the table. Henry and Laura stood on either side of him as his hands found both latches and flipped them open. With some hesitation, he started to lift the lid.

Blue light and fog seeped from the contents of the case, air cold as ice latching to his skin. He nearly gasped in surprise, it felt like he'd plunged his hands into a freezer. But his bewilderment only furthered as he lifted the lid completely to show the two vials he'd seen earlier, now brighter and colder than before.

"What are they?" Laura questioned softly in fascination.

"They're... they're for syringes..." Henry murmured with equal intrigue. "But I've never seen anything like this that you would use to..."

Michael stared at the vials. He swore he almost heard whispers creeping from the case and had the eerie feeling the tubes were staring back at him. It felt familiar, so familiar... but he couldn't think how.

The same desire to withdraw them came to him, but he held himself back. For whatever reason, he didn't think he should touch them.

"What on Earth would William want with these?" Laura continued, drawing Michael from his thoughts. "I mean... it looks like blue tar. Surely this stuff doesn't belong in your body," she reasoned. Henry chuckled humorlessly. "I wouldn't put much past my old friend these days," he said darkly. "But it would be helpful to know what it is and why he wants it so badly."

At that, Laura had a surprised look on her face as she hurriedly withdrew folded paper from her coat pocket. "Forgot I grabbed this..." she elaborated, eyes scanning the old pages. "It was from some kind of journal or something."

Her eyes narrowed as she read. "...I think he was expecting us." She spoke. "But didn't count on us getting away."

"Let me see," said Henry, taking the pages from her hands as he read over the neat scrawl across the yellowing paper. Michael stepped closer to him, looking over his shoulder.

Laura appeared to be correct. His father's recognizable handwriting detailed the need for the ring of keys that had been in his office, the ring that now lay in Michael's pocket. The ring of keys that held the one that unlocked the case lying open on their kitchen table.

"He knew I would come..." he murmured quietly. "He knows I want answers."

Henry looked up at him, mouth parted.

"He counted on it so that he could get access to whatever this is," Michael continued, staring at the whispering vials.

"And is holding Charlie just to have it back..." Laura murmured, answers becoming evident. "What about this does he want so badly?"

"I don't know." He replied monotonously.

He looked at the tubes in the case, mind seeming to slow in hazy thought. The desire again to pull them from their places began to fill his head, and afraid he'd do so, he hurriedly pulled down its lid, shutting out the whispers and the light that had been glowing from its recesses.

Henry glanced at him curiously as Michael moved to lock it.

"I think maybe we better keep this secured until it's time to exchange," he explained, tucking the keys back into his coat pocket. "And in the meantime... we figure out what we're going to do about my dad."

Henry nodded in agreement. "Already on it. I'm going to make some calls." He started to move past them as he put a hand on Michael's shoulder seriously. "You two get some sleep. We'll regroup later."

The boy nodded as he walked downstairs, presumably to use the basement landline as he exchanged glances with Laura.

She looked at him intently.

"Michael... about what that thing said... about your mother-" she began.

"It's fine. I know," he interrupted hurriedly, forcing a casual tone. "It's- just trying to mess with me."

She opened her mouth, meaning to continue as he started past her. "Honest. I'm gonna get some sleep. You should too," he said, offering a reassuring smile.

She lowered her open hand, a small frown on her face as she sighed and nodded. Michael turned and started up the stairs, pausing halfway as he heard her walking to the basement to her guest room, turning to just catch her moving out of sight. He sighed. If that robot was just trying to mess with him, it was doing a good job.

He continued up the stairs to his room, slid the case under his bed and pulled off his jacket and shoes before collapsing onto the mattress.

The night was a disappointment, a sentiment he found all too familiar, he thought tiredly as soft sunlight entered his room. But this time, he had an ace up his sleeve. He wasn't going to be manipulated by his father.

Not anymore.