A single ring on the doorbell, no response.

William was tired when he came back home; every new day became all the more draining for him. He felt like he could not escape the cycle of labor in which he was stuck for absolutely nothing, only a puppet to be toyed with by Alison. Each day of feeling this disappointment and disgust only made William feel all the more gross. At least when Chris was still alive, he could take a break from this poisonous bog in his home, but now it became a place just as dark and shameful, if not more so.

Another call, no one to answer the door.

William didn't wait this time. He grabbed his keys and opened the door to the Afton house.

"Elizabeth? Michael?" He spoke up, making sure his voice would be heard from all around the house. Their house was always quiet since Chris died, but today even Will was surprised by how outright dead it seemed. For a moment, he thought how it was just over two years ago…Elizabeth's laughs, Mike's jokes, Chris's playful antics, Clara being here to share her loving care with all their children, and William…Back in the day when Freddy was nothing more than an obscure figure from a cartoon his youngest two watched from time to time… "Anyone?"

Finally, Will heard approaching steps from Mike's room. He took a deep breath, he didn't drink today, and his mind had grown a bit clearer…He thought of how rashly he treated Mike yesterday, and as much as his pride prevented him from genuinely apologizing, perhaps it was worth to try and keep at least a neutral relationship with him for Elizabeth's sake.

However, it wasn't Michael that walked out of the room. It was his sister. She looked pained and distraught, looking down to the floor as if hiding her eyes in shame. Her skin seemed paler than usual; the sight of her was enough to make William want to extend a helping hand to her and, once again, think of how much Clara would've helped here.

"Hi, daddy…" She spoke quietly.

"Hi. Elizabeth, are you alright? How did your talk with your psychologist go?" William wondered. He knew that Elizabeth was making some slow strides toward healing, but she still had a long way to go.

"Yes, it was good. I'm just…" She raised her hand, showing William a small letter. "I found this in Mikey's room." This didn't bode well at all, and William felt an air of uncertainty emerge in his heart. Mike never left notes for any reason before; why did he decide to do it now? There were a few disturbing thoughts on William's mind, the thoughts that made his hands shake in fear which he desperately tried to hide from Elizabeth. But it was too early to make judgments. He had to read the note first. "Give it to me," William said, and Elizabeth obliged. It was time to see what's inside.

"Hi, father, hi, Liz. Well, I don't know who will find it first.

I messed up horribly so. I know I can't apologize in any meaningful way to you, and especially to Chris, who isn't with us anymore. It is my fault. I know I suck at heartfelt writing and stuff, but what I want to say is that I've spent a long time thinking about all that happened, and I know what I must do."

For a moment, William felt his heartstrings ache at the thought of Mike deciding to end his life. This was the worst assumption he had the moment he saw this note. He clung to it, unsure if he even wanted to know the answer.

"I can't stay with you; I'm sorry. You two need time to heal, and it's nest if it's away from me. Besides, I will have a lot to keep me busy. Please, don't worry. I'm alive and don't plan on dying anytime soon. I am simply leaving. At least for now, I have places to go. Don't try and look for me; it would probably just hurt us all even more. I know words don't cut it, but still, I want you to know that I am sorry. I love you both.

Mike."

It was bound to happen one day. Mike was a rebel at heart, he would never tolerate something conditions that pained him so much, and William was to blame for that. Mike wanted to search for a new life and start anew, and if he is away from his family, that means he is away from Fazbear Inc's influence…Perhaps it was for the best, even if William felt the pain in his heart at the realization of Mike's untimely departure.

"He left…Oh, Mike." William took a deep breath. He had no one to blame but himself for this, even if he felt that his rage towards Michael was justified. "He should've talked to me first."

"Maybe he thought…You wouldn't allow him?" Elizabeth wondered.

"You're right; I wouldn't. But if he doesn't want me to search for him and wants to start his life anew…I will not stop him." William felt as if there was more to it than what Mike mentioned. He heard the story about Lily's death from Chris, and even though he didn't believe it at the time, it must have left a memory…Mike knew more than he was supposed to, whether William liked it or now. When he returns, he should be careful when it comes to what he says. He might still need William's help.

"Daddy…Will he come back?" The girl looked up with waning hope in her eyes. William wished he could speak with certainty.

"I wish I knew…But Mike has both the talent and determination to live on his own for a while, I have no doubt about it. One day he will come back…"

"Can you promise me something?" Elizabeth asked.

"What?"

"When Mikey comes back…Can you talk to him? Without hurting him or calling him names, just…You two should talk and try to figure something out." She was adamant about this. William knew that Elizabeth would want nothing more than for them to make amends as much as it was possible after what happened.

"I promise," William said, for once believing his own words.

"Thank you, Daddy." Elizabeth sniffed and approached William, giving him a hug and sharing her warmth. He breathed, trying to relax and not to think about what could happen to Mike in the future…He will find his way for now. William felt that they would meet soon enough. And for now, he had to be there for his daughter, as she was willing to be there for Chris. "I hope we see him soon…"

William didn't respond; he simply hugged Elizabeth hoping that he would be able to soothe the girl. But in truth, he felt exactly the same.

…

How foolish it was of Chris to ever think that he would have his freedom. The power that he felt within the golden carcass was momentary, and Alison did well to extinguish it, once again forcing Chris to become a lifeless carcass of an animatronic. When the boy opened his eyes, he was in an elevator of some sort. The iron walls surrounded him. Alison and his few guards surrounded the chained animatronic as all of them descended somewhere deep, perhaps underground. Chris knew that there was a large shadow rising behind the restaurants from the moment he saw Lily's death, but to think that he would see all those secrets himself…This was what he was always afraid of. The source of all his nightmares. Now Chris realized it better than anyone.

"And here we are, Chris, your new home…This is where you'll be staying for a while." Alison smirked moments before the doors opened, unveiling a darkened, pale corridor in front of them. Chris couldn't look around, but he saw how huge this place was. The ceiling was far above while the corridor would separate into branches that led to different halls as if it was an unending labyrinth. This place looked like a prison, a twisted version of it Chris would sometimes imagine. The one which is removed from civilization and where the criminals are forced to suffer for the rest of their lives, rarely getting their redemption. But he was not a criminal…Not a monster.

"Are we…Underground?"

"Yes, we are. In a deep, secret place about which only a few select souls even know. Now you would count yourself among them, my friend, and rejoice! Your soul will become a part of a worthy cause." His words made Chris feel all the more powerless and terrified, but he had no power to resist at all.

"Where are…We going?"

"To one of the chambers nearby where my colleague is waiting. We have to get you through a little procedure before you can be accepted as part of our family. Don't worry. It shouldn't take too long…In fact, we're almost there!" Alison pointed at the door that they swiftly approached. "Come here, gentlemen." He commanded the two guards behind him. "We might need your weapons if 'Mr. Afton' here gets a little too violent."

"You're worse than Mike…" Chris spoke with hatred in his voice. The question he had about Mike's cruelty paled in comparison to the monstrosities that this man was hiding, absolutely without shame. "Was it you who killed Lily?" He spoke up.

"You mean that girl a few months ago…Well, the command was mine. But it was my most loyal servant that carried out the task, can you guess?"

"Dad…"

"Yes. He is a talented one, isn't he? Good to have a man like him under my control." Alison chuckled.

"Why does dad…Help you?"

"Simple. If he doesn't, his family will be in grave danger. He tried to rebel against me once, and that ended with a tragic loss."

"You…" Chris's realization hit him like a merciless wildfire. "YOU KILLED MOM?!" He let out a long, mechanical sound that was reminiscent of a wild bear's roar; the yellow carcass shook, but it wasn't enough to break the chains. Alison pressed the button again, issuing yet another controlled shock at the animatronic to weaken him.

"It was a part of the contract your dad signed. Business is business…But your death is different. It was unplanned, unexpected, and quite a thorn in my side, to be honest. That you are still here is but a small compensation for this stain on Fazbear Inc."

"You are…Evil…" Chris's voice grew fainter.

"Is that all you can say? I simply do what I must to survive, as do we all. Now, then…"

After those words, Alison opened the door and allowed Chris to witness the chamber before him. It was a relatively small room with two more guards and a man in a white coat impatiently pacing around the room, but they weren't his main focus. There was another metal bed at the center. This one had another animatronic on it, at least something that looked like one.

If Chris was still alive, he would feel like vomiting the moment he laid eyes on this carcass. Colored in dark brown, rusty colors and not reminding him of any character from the cartoon, nor any animal or human at all. Its head looked like a scorched skull with empty, pale, and sharp teeth. There was a hat with ears which made Chris assume it was a rabbit, but there were three instead of two. He could see its pale skeleton and joints.

"Dr. Stein!" Alison called out to the scientist. "Here we are."

"Almighty lord…" Stein looked at Fredbear. "Is it him? That boy?"

"In the flesh. Well, not really flesh, but you get it…And I see you've brought his new body in, too?" New body? Did they mean this abomination? Chris didn't like where it was going.

"Of course. Torture device N83, one of my newest ones, thought it would be fitting for a new subject, especially one that defied all the norms!" Stein spoke with excitement. "Bring him over. I'll get it over with in no time." He encouraged the guards who would bring Chris forth. The child felt fear once again spike within him. He wanted to be free, not to be forced from one prison to another.

"Please, don't do this…I don't want to go there, please!" Fredbear's voice grew louder again; even though he was inside a mechanical carcass, Chris still felt as if his entire body was shaking.

"Calm down. It won't hurt much." The doctor picked up a metal wire that emerged from the animatronic's stomach. "Open him up." After those words, the two guards turned Fredbear around. Chris felt them working on his back, opening some kind of crack.

"What are you doing!?"

"Just opening a connection," Alison spoke as Chris could finally get a glimpse at his back. The golden plates opened, and a metal opening got unveiled, the one perfect for the metal cable in Dr. Stein's hands. "We call it the soul connector."

Chris felt Stein connecting him with the other animatronic with the cable, he wanted to resist, but it was absolutely impossible. He was weak and broken, far too broken.

"Begin," Stein commanded, and one of the guards pressed a button. Immediately after, Chris felt his soul absorbed by a vortex of agony, the whirlwind which dragged him away from the carcass, unveiling his formless, fainting soul. He was nothing without the animatronic. He felt as if he could fade at any moment…Until he realized that he had a new body now. Chris opened his eyes…

He was the torture device.

…

"Please…Let me out!"

Echoes of Chris's screams still rang in Mike's mind every single day and night. They did not allow him to forget his grievous crime for a single moment. He failed his family, and simply staying and trying to live like nothing happened meant denying this. It meant pretending that Michael hadn't sinned and had no debt to repay. It couldn't continue like this, and this was why he left after leaving a short message. The message he wrote while crying, but he remained careful as to not allow his tears to fall on the letter and give them any indication of his distress.

Mike wondered amidst the dark streets of Hurricane at night, completely empty and void of people bar occasional bystanders that felt like phantoms wandering the night rather than real people. Mike wondered if the city always felt so dangerous, or did he simply grow much more paranoid with time? He was close to the house he searched, hoping that he won't be turned away. If not for his pleas, then at least for the information he can provide.

He wondered about his father and sister and how they would react to finding his letter. Elizabeth would be pained but not surprised. Mike gave her enough of a hint. But father…Mike didn't want to think of him. He didn't blame him for his occasional outbursts, but it still hurt. Perhaps the father would be grateful that Mike left; perhaps he had no love left in store for his son? Mike would not admit to it, but he wanted to hear words of forgiveness from his father, once again hug him like in the old times, not thinking about anything that might happen to them and their family. But those times would never come back, and it was up to Mike to repent for his. Whatever father would think when reading the message, Mike hoped he would not search for him.

Soon, Mike approached the door he needed, an unremarkable flat in one of the blocks on the eastern side of Hurricane. When he braced himself and took a deep breath, Mike finally pressed the doorbell. He heard steps almost immediately. They were hasty and approached the door before halting for a moment, leaving the teenager in complete silence. He knew she was watching him…Eventually, the door finally opened, and he saw his father's old acquaintance whose relationship with him now deteriorated.

Lynda Takaliken, the woman who couldn't let go. She looked at him with eyes wide-open and in shock.

"Mike?" She said with disbelief and caution. She knew about what he did to Chris; everyone in the town did. Mike didn't expect to be treated too kindly. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Lynda…" Mike sighed, thinking of how he should proceed. "Guess I am the last person you were expecting."

"Better you than…Some others." Lynda responded.

"Can I come in?"

"Hold on. I hope your father didn't send you here because the last time we talked, it did not end well."

"No, no, no one sent me. No one even knows I'm here…We'll, hopefully." Mike let out a quiet chuckle.

"And I know what you did to Chris." Lynda crossed her hands and looked at him with distaste. Mike looked down. This mark of shame will be with him forever. "I saw that insanity on the news…How could you do that to your own brother, Mike? I imagine doing something like this to my sister, and even as a prank, it's just…Disgusting. Chris was a good boy, and to hear about him die like this is…It's horrible."

"I made a mistake…And now I'm a fucking killer." Mike clenched his teeth, feeling the desire to bite back. Of course, Lynda would judge him as any decent human would, but she wasn't a part of their family. It wasn't her affair and shouldn't have been, at least. "There isn't a day that I don't spend regretting it and thinking about that goddamn day; that's why I left them and…"

"Left who?" Lynda wondered, making Mike realize that in his ranting, he accidentally got to the point.

"My family, father, and Liz," Mike explained. "They can't forgive me for doing this, and I remind them of the day too much…"

"Can't say I blame them." Lynda shook her head dismissively.

"I don't either. We need some time away from each other. And I hoped that I could come to you…"

"I am not going to house you, Mike. You're a young adult who can feed himself, not to mention all the shit I have to get through."

"Wait a moment." Mike halted her. "That 'shit' is exactly why I came. You're holding an investigation against Fazbear Inc, right?" Those words made Lynda freeze for a moment and raise an eyebrow, but the woman quickly came to her senses.

"How do you know?"

"Rumors spread fast, and besides, I couldn't spend the last few months doing nothing but wallowing, could I? You visited Freddy's establishments, talked to Father, and I even remember seeing you when Father brought the three of us to Circus Baby's. You were looking for something. Am I right?"

"Yes…" Lynda sighed. "You are."

"Good." Mike breathed in relief, realizing that his suspicions about Lynda proved correct. "You want to help."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It's personal now…And besides, I know father is involved."

"What else do you know?"

"Something that will interest you, no doubt. I just want to stay for the night. I promise I won't disturb you or Charlie."

"Charlie isn't home."

"All the better, than we can talk about our findings for as much as we want." He believed his reasoning sounded logical, and judging by Lynda's silence, she had no arguments left. After a momentary pause, she opened the door.

"Come in. Let's see what kind of stuff you've got."