It is never simple to start a new job, especially one that is radically different from everything you know. It took time to get used to and learn all the rules, techniques, and intricacies. You would have to deal with complications of varying kinds…But in the end, you get used to the job, and it becomes mundane.

Even when the job is murder.

William Afton would often muse on the path he chose; having to be left alone with his thoughts has never been easy. There were times when he tried to justify his actions and rationalize them, but by this point, he accepted that there was no justification for something as cruel as what he did over those two years. Alison demanded more children's souls for experiments, leaving the dirty task to William, telling him the 'acceptable' targets. Loners, outcasts, kids who came from problematic households or had problems socializing, and those whose disappearance was more likely to go unnoticed.

This was the reason for the creation of Circus Baby's Pizza World. While the other two restaurants served as nothing more than a money source for Alison's twisted project, this one was viler. Only the people who knew the truth of Alison's machinations were allowed to work there with William at the helm. Sugar, Kitty Fazcat, and Circus Baby were equipped with mechanical claws that could take children inside if they were alone, causing an immediate and quiet death; their design allowed them to conceal even the slightest drop of blood. It was as if a child simply disappeared without a trace; no one knew where they went. No one wanted to know…

William despised the moments of having to drive to Fredbear's when a robot caught its prey. To the outside eye, it would seem like they were taken in for maintenance, but Will knew the true purpose of soul transfer…It was especially harrowing this time, knowing that Kitty had the mutilated body and soul of his son's best, only real friend. He should've been firmer in his denials, should've kept Chris away…He remembered his son's horrified eyes when he heard that the group couldn't find Lily, all while Will had to pretend that he knew nothing at all. Others would soon stop caring; they would forget that Lily even existed. But Chris wouldn't, as wouldn't William.

"Mr. Afton, you coming?" One of the engineers called out to him as he entered the secret elevator near the back room. Kitty stood behind him, still offline, and a few men helped carry the animatronic. "Boss said he wanted to talk."

"I am not about to watch him desecrate the body of a child…Tell him I'll come slightly later."

"Alright." The engineer nodded, and soon the elevator's doors closed. With how quickly William rose through the company ranks, very few would challenge him except Alison and his closest subordinates. William wasn't sure why his boss kept him so close, perhaps because he knew how broken he was inside, how Clara's death truly affected him…How it made William want to defend their children at all costs, even if this meant betraying any moral principles he had and consigning his soul to a slow, methodical rot.

He was a valuable slave who was given the whip from time to time so he wouldn't feel powerless.

And while there was still some time, William decided to venture into the restaurant itself and have a look. It looked like any other day…Fredbear and Spring Bonnie sang on stage with children watching them in awe, some running all over the place as they enjoyed their day. The business was in wonderful shape, expanding with each month…It shouldn't have been so. Not after what Gron did, but Alison's influence was too much to resist. At times William wondered if the entire town of Hurricane was run by Alison and his allies, the reach he had extended to all around Utah. He would bribe, manipulate, threaten…If something like the Missing Children Incident was not enough to destroy Fazbear Inc's reputation, was there any real hope at all?

As he mused, William noticed someone approaching close. A woman with brown hair and firm step, unmistakably looking at him with anticipation, one of the few in this town who still couldn't let go.

"Hello, Lynda…" William said with caution. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"And I didn't expect to ever return to this place." The woman responded; her voice didn't sound too friendly. "Do you have a moment, Will?"

"If it's not too long, yes." He had to keep up appearances. Ever since Gron and Clara's deaths, the relationships between the two families deteriorated to the point they rarely talked to each other. William wasn't oblivious to what was truly going on. However, Lynda suspected Fazbear Inc, including him, of participating in some rather dubious actions, including Gron and the missing children's disappearance. "How are you? I hope it's not too overwhelming…"

"I am…Fine." Lynda sighed. "It's a bit hard to manage all the work and spending time with Charlie, but I'm used to it." It wasn't easy being a single parent; now William could personally attest to that. "And you?"

"Nothing too drastic, my work takes a lot of time, as well, but I prefer it this way."

"And the children?"

"I try to spend time with them when I can…" William sighed; each new position resulted in him having less free time for family; it was one murderous obligation under another…It wasn't easy looking at Chris and Elizabeth's faces when he came home. They weren't too different from the children he killed. "But Mike is old enough to take care of Chris and Elizabeth." If only he actually cared to help without constant whining.

"I see…Well, if you don't want me to keep you for long, let's get to the point." Lynda sighed. "I've been thinking about Gron recently…" This was enough to make William's heart skip a beat. She would still search for her husband and try to uncover the truth, as desperate as she was determined. She would not accept that he might be gone forever; she still wanted to find out. If it wasn't for William misleading her and trying to keep her away from all of this, Lynda would've been dead months ago.

"No, there hasn't been any progress on this front, if that's what you want to know." William shook his hand. "I wish we knew something, but…It has been two years, Lynda, and we still haven't heard anything from him. Perhaps it is time to let go."

"How are you saying this? He was your friend; I know how fond Gron was of you! We're here in your place; he would never stop his search."

"If you're trying to guilt-trip me, you are wasting your time. I am merely pragmatic and would focus on the present rather than the past." William crossed his arms; he wasn't willing to waste his time on this.

"Fine…" Lynda backed off. "If you think that's right, do what you want. But I wanted to tell you about the rumors I keep hearing."

"What kind?"

"Well…It will sound strange, but different people spoke of it; they must have seen the same thing." Lynda began. "They're calling it the Lurker. Something or someone that stays in the shadows and keeps watch, sometimes emerging at night…" Well, it seemed like Lynda finally received some knowledge on confidential materials…It was to happen sooner or later; if Alison finds it out, he won't be happy. Every time William attempted to steer Lynda away from this mess, she would rush into death's embrace over and over again.

"A masked robber, perhaps?"

"No, this one was different…All of them called it robotic and mechanical, like an artificial suit enhanced by some mystical component that made it alive. And the descriptions they gave made me think of them." Lynda looked at Fredbear and Spring Bonnie on the stage. "An animatronic with a design that I can only assume is similar to the ones you use here…Do you see what I'm getting at? There is a new person or creature, I…I don't know what to call it, but it exists, and all connections lead to Fazbear Inc." William hated her persistence, especially the fact that she was right on all accounts. The creature she heard of was Gron, or like Alison called him since the metamorphosis and escape, "Lockjaw." "They never found the bodies, be it Gron or those four kids…I just want to understand what is going on."

"Listen." William sighed. "Whatever hope you are pursuing, it is pointless, especially if you think I know anything about this 'phenomenon.' I was pained by Gron's disappearance, too, but I have too much in my life to drag myself down with grief, be it for him or for Clara. I know every single animatronic that has been made by Fazbear Inc, and all of them are in their stages. Do you realize how absurd the notion of an animatronic running around the streets sounds? Whoever you talked to must have a very good imagination, and that is it."

"So you know nothing about this?"

"No. Neither does anyone in the company."

"I don't believe you, Will." This sharp response caught William off-guard, causing him to look at Lynda in silence for a few more moments. If only she knew the danger she would find herself in…

"You don't have to, even though it's a shame; I only wish the best for you…And that's why I tell you to abandon this pursuit and focus on your son; he needs your help much more than Gron…At least we know he is still living."

"No convincing you, then?" Lynda sighed. "Fine, if you don't want to help, don't. I'll find out myself."

"There is nothing to find out, Lynda."

"No…No, there is. There is something that doesn't add up, you might not care to know the truth, but I won't stop until I discover it." She said decisively and with clear bitterness in her voice before walking away, as William let out a saddened chuckle as he looked at her going away.

To not know the truth would be bliss.

…

"Don't worry…I'm sure they would find her."

Those horrifying words echoed in Chris's mind all throughout their way home. His father was good at pretending to be concerned; Chris wouldn't have noticed anything wrong had he not seen it. It was just an accident…His friend Lily ran out of the restaurant and got lost, with no one being able to find her. Chris saw all the children get back on their bus, some of them wondering where she could be, but not a single one cared. They were so calm about it, they thought she just ran off and would be found by someone…But Chris knew.

As they drove home, the boy looked down and didn't move, trying not to show how utterly terrified he was. His father was quiet, too, most of the time. Chris was far away from the animatronics, which made him uneasy, yet the feeling of dread that caused him to shiver and let out very quiet sniffs did not dissipate. On the contrary, it became unbearable, getting worse with every second he was near his father. He knew…

He did this.

He was too scared to ask questions or to even speak; when he walked home, Chris could only say quiet goodbyes and walk into their house, desperately clutching to the Fredbear plush. He felt broken.

He was broken.

"You saw it too…" Chris spoke quietly as he sat on his bed and stared into Fredbear's eyes. "W…Why…" He tried to recollect the scene, but even attempting to do so was enough to make him shake and sob, forcing tears on his face. Fredbear was here; he could comfort him…He wasn't alone while he was here, not entirely alone.

Maybe all of this was a cruel prank? Lily got hidden in there, and Father released her when Chris left? Maybe she'll just show up the next day…No, this wasn't something even Mike would do. Too cruel even for him. He couldn't explain what he saw, but he couldn't deny that even now, the gruesome image would appear before his own eyes. It was her and the claw, the animatronic with its empty eyes…

Suddenly, the door opened, letting out a loud bang that caused Chris to jump out of fear and cover his face with the Fredbear plush.

"Finally, here you are." Mike's annoyed voice echoed from the door, making Chris let out a quiet sigh of relief even though his terror didn't release him from its grip just yet. His hands shook as Chris slowly put the Fredbear plush away, unveiling his reddened eyes to Mike, who immediately noticed Chris's distress. It wasn't uncommon for the younger Afton son to cry, and Mike showed him less sympathy with every new occurrence. "What is it now?"

"N…Nothing." Chris shook his head meekly, a gesture Mike didn't appreciate. The hasty teenager rolled his eyes before staring back at Chris.

"Don't lie to me; I see you're on the brink of pissing your pants. So, what is it, then?"

"I…I'm alright, really…"

"Listen here." Mike sighed. "Father loves to make a point of how it is my responsibility to watch after you and Liz…Says it's my responsibility and all that. If I don't do this 'job' well enough, he will get annoyed. And do you know what will make him think I failed at it? You go into your crybaby mode once again, and me not sorting it out. So don't be a nuisance and just tell me, what the hell happened this time?"

"I don't want to…"

"Or I would get angry," Mike said sternly, causing Chris to shiver and look up once again; there was no way out of this. Chris took a deep breath before raising his eyes.

"I…" He was very quiet, trying to piece the events together once again, making his entire body and mouth shake uncontrollably. "I…"

"Come on, what is it? You went to Circus Baby's, didn't you?" Mike spoke with anticipation, giving his brother a prompt. Chris nodded nervously. "And?"

"Lily…We played with Lily…And…"

"Don't tell me you are scared of her too, now; that would be pathetic."

"Dad…He promised to show her Kitty when everyone left, and he…He…I followed them; I saw her come to Kitty and…She would tell her to come close and play, and…" The images ran before Chris's mind in a chaotic whirlwind, as if desperately trying to avoid thinking about the dreaded moment when the claw emerged. The boy did not want to relive those memories again, didn't want to imagine what could've happened to Lily, didn't want to remember how father entered and…

"So? Get to the point; I don't have all day."

"A claw…" Chris forced himself to talk. "A big robot claw, it was in Kitty's stomach and…It took Lily." Chris let out, causing Mike to raise an eyebrow.

"What?"

"It just appeared and grabbed her and…And Kitty ate her…" Chris could barely think of fitting words as he tried to describe the situation. "She screamed and disappeared and then…Dad came and checked up on her…He didn't help her get out; he just…And then I hid and…I…" Tears streamed down from Chris's eyes, but all he could see was Michael shaking his head and clenching his fist.

"Ha-ha…" Michael chuckled with genuine amusement and not a glimmer of understanding. Chris crawled back, feeling himself shake again. "This is hilarious."

"W…What?"

"What you heard, Chris. Are you tucking serious?! I know how wild your imagination goes, but this goes beyond any reason!" Mike shouted.

"I am not lying…P…Please…"

"Yes, you are, just like you lie about monsters under your bed and in the closet! You're almost ten, for fuck sake, and you're still being a pissy crybaby about everything? Grow the hell up!"

"I swear, I'm not lying; I…."

"Jesus, just admit it." Mike sighed. "You know what, at some point, it's just unfair. I have to sit here while our father is having the time of his life at his job and look after you instead of doing something productive with my friends. And what do you do? Do you try to make my life easier and have at least a little bit of dignity and independence? No, you continue to fucking whine about everything!" The fury in his voice made a picture flash in Chris's eyes as if it wasn't Mike standing before him but a demonic figure full of rage and bitterness. "I am tired of this bullshit, Chris; I'm just tired. I am wasting my time on you, and you can't even man up for a single fucking day!"

"Mike…Please…" Chris cowered in shame and slowly reached out to his brother with a shaking hand.

"Shut up! I'm done with dealing with your attention-seeking derangement, two years, two years! You know what, fine! You don't want to play nice; I won't, either." Mike said as he stormed out of the room and left Chris alone, nothing but hatred and bitterness in his voice tossed unto a horrified child.

All Chris could do was fall into his bed and finally allow himself to weep.

…

What was there to say about William if descending into the hellish facility he once escaped together with Gron became "normalcy"? He wouldn't come to areas beyond his own bunker, but sometimes Alison would summon him for special occasions, allowing him to see the fruits of his own making. He was a cog in this machine, an important and useful one. The one that gave Alison the souls he wanted for his twisted experiments.

The workers would wave and say hello to him, not particularly warmly, but they would nonetheless. Everyone grew to know William Afton, the operator of Circus Baby's trap for children, a very successful one at that. The fact that they were so calm, treating their situation as mundane, made William's heart sink even now. But then again, they might have put on masks, like anyone would in their situation…He would've seemed calm and uncaring from an outsider's point of view, too, yet this wasn't true.

Every time William would walk across the halls of the underground facility, he would think of his time with Gron. Of how the two of them ventured here, not knowing what to expect, how they witnessed the gruesome torture and experiments that Alison and his subordinates conducted. How they stared into Frankburt's eyes, watched bodies get burned…How they ran away, praying that they would find a way out and bring the horror of this place to light. And every time, he would feel like walking amidst this horrific labyrinth again…And he always got the sense that there were new rooms and corridors added to the facility; even now, it was expanding.

Eventually, William finally came to the 'extraction room' where they took Kitty. When he looked over it, he saw two men standing beside the robot, Alison and his white-coated subordinate, Dr. Stein.

"I need this one on stage as soon as possible," Alison spoke commandingly. "Can I trust you to finish the transfer before tonight?"

"Of course, there's no reason to worry." Stein nodded. "I've picked the fitting torture device for this one; Greg and John will bring the viridium cables soon enough."

"Good; I'd like you to work as quickly and efficiently as possible," Alison spoke up before turning around and noticing William's presence. "Ah, Mr. Afton, I was wondering when you would show up! Good timing, I must say, we just finished clearing out the trash from our dear Kitty…" Lily's body must have been incinerated already, and even in death, the poor girl would receive nothing but insults and dehumanization from those that orchestrated her murder. "I needed you for a very important proposition."

"You have me kill my son's best friend and can't even allow for a break? I still wonder where you get that gall from…" It must have felt good, being in control of those operations, having so many people at his whim. Alison was a monster, and no moral quandary would hold him back from enjoying this power to its fullest.

"I gave you an assignment, not the first one and not the last. What is the problem?"

"Honestly, I get an 'inkling' that you don't value my work," William said with emerging anger. "Even when I ask you not to touch the one child that Chris can play with outside our family, you're still very bloody adamant on it having to be her…"

"Mr. Afton, must we go over it again?" Alison sighed with disappointment. "Contract gives protection to your children, no more, no less. According to my agents, this girl was a lonely child, and most of her peers didn't care for her. She had no parents and no one who would look for her beyond the first couple of days, a very logical and easy target…How would I know that the only other child that cares is coincidentally your own son? Look at it from the bright side; he will be able to find some new friends for himself, maybe even grow more confident."

William could only look down in shame at this. He couldn't talk back or resist; the thought of having his children harmed terrified him to no end. He sunk incredibly low, but if he learned anything during those years, it is that one can always fall lower.

Before William could speak out, he heard the echo of a metallic sound in the distance. With the echo of the slow movement of Kitty's legs, the robot looked up, causing William, Stein, and Alison ll stare at her.

"It's on, it's on!" The doctor uttered with a rather twisted sense of excitement. "Be careful, everyone; there's no telling what this thing can do."

"W…" A weak, robotic voice echoed from Kitty; even a single letter was enough for William to realize that this was a different voice, the voice of a scared child. "Where am…"

"Ah, so the soul voice program works." Alison smiled. "Pretty sure that's the girl…Once again, I have to commend your ingenuity, Mr. Afton!" Every praise from Alison ended up being a twisted insult that made the chill crawl upon William's back. Soon, Alison turned towards the robot. "Can you hear me, dear?"

"I…Yes…"

"Do you remember your name?"

"L…Lily…"

"Fantastic, she still retains her conscience." Alison smiled. "Well, that's certainly hopeful news for our next attempts to transfer souls, don't you think, Dr. Stein?"

"Certainly…I wonder if there are some other factors at play."

"Who…" Lily tried to reach out with her robotic hands. "Who are you…Why…" When she noticed William, the robot turned her head towards him with her eyes being wide-open. "Mr. Afton…Help me…"

Silence.

"Help me…Please…Where is Chris…Where…" Her voice began to break; it was more reminiscent of a whimper. She made a few steps towards him, coming dangerously close to the edge of her small podium.

"She is getting feisty." Alison shook his head. "Dr. Stein, a controlled shock, please!"

"No…Please….AAARGH!" Her whimper became a screech as the electrical currents penetrated a metallic body, forcing Kitty into shutdown and no doubt paining Lily's soul. All of this while William watched in silence, overtaken by his own pathetic demeanor. An innocent child pleaded for help, a scared, innocent soul who he doomed…The one who loved to play with his son, the one who looked up to Will and even wanted to have him as his father. The one he betrayed and now watched as she was made to suffer in the afterlife. He ensured it and agreed to it; he was the murderer. 'Just another job'…He saw what Gron meant when he warned him, and William chose to ignore his wise words.

"Ah, good, we got her to pipe down." Alison commended his subordinate. "Now, begin the transfer, Dr. Stein. I've seen enough. And while we're on topic…Ah, Mr. Afton." Alison looked at the engineer, whose eyes fell to the floor; he clenched his fists in silence. "You seem…Tired."

"You know why this is." William scoffed. "But you aren't going to change anything, are you? I see no reason to bother."

"Ah, Mr. Afton…It pains me to see you so heartbroken, shouldn't work be an enlightening, fulfilling experience?"

"Enlightening? Certainly. Fulfilling? Only for sociopaths like you…"

"Perhaps I should've extended you a hand, Mr. Afton…" Alison pondered. "Truth be told, this is exactly the reason I told you to come. Your work for our company has been so productive you've almost become part of the Fazbear family, and in such a short time, too…You deserve a reward." Those words made William look up, and he wasn't sure whether he should look forward to it or be horrified. He deserved no reward, not for doing something like this…The echo of Lily's scream still permeated his mind.

"Be quick about it."

"I will take the pace that is the most fitting for me; thank you very much." Alison retorted. "There is a certain event coming up, a dinner with all of my colleagues…I want to introduce you to them as one of the most dedicated and useful workers under our cause." And here it was…More humiliation and shame. William knew that Alison wanted to break him completely and utterly; all he could do was resist internally while nodding his head in silence. "Have no fear, Mr. Afton, they would be most overjoyed to meet you…You should be, too."